Loves' Twists & Turns
by Lizzy85cec
Summary: <html><head></head>Damon and Elijah have a heartfelt conversation which reveals some hidden emotions and facts.  Elena overhears and what she'll do with the information could change their lives forever.  D/E Fic... Please read and review!</html>
1. Chapter 1

**Hello TVD Fans... so this just kind of popped into my head. I really don't know where I'd expected to go, but I really liked the way it came out.**

**Focuses at the end of the episode where Damon refuses to apologize to Elijah. It is centered on them first then turns into Delena moment. I'm not sure if I want to make it a long one, I guess it will be up to you and whether you like it or not. Anyways, I hope you love it. Thanks SO much for reading and please review. I'd love to know what you think. :)**

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><p>Elena couldn't believe that Damon had not apologized… she thought that because she'd asked, he would have done it… but he'd been a different man lately. Cold, distant, and unfortunately, way too Andie involved… It gave her an agonizing pain in her chest to think about it which is why most of the time she tried to avoid exploring those feelings…<p>

She noticed Elijah make his way upstairs and wondered what he was up to so she followed… He was now standing at the entrance of Damon's room, so she quietly slipped into hers opening the closet door that was connected to his room. Maybe she'd be able to hear their conversation.

/

Damon stood by the open window staring out into nowhere as he debated whether trusting Elena who was in turn trusting Elijah was a good idea… He sighed shaking his head; he didn't want to lose her… even if she wasn't his to lose.

He sensed the presence of someone coming to his room, so he straightened his stance ready to attack if necessary. He let a growl rumble inside him as he realized who it was.

Elijah knocked on the side of the door frame, "May I enter?"

"That may not be wise…" Damon returned, "But do as you please…" The thought of trying to rip his head out crossed his mind, but he remembered he wasn't strong enough to take him and Elena would probably bitch at him for trying.

Elijah walked in making a gesture of pointing at his mouth, Damon quirked an eyebrow confused as he reached for his lips noticing blood on his fingers. He wiped it quickly remembering how he had attacked Andie just minutes ago.

"Dinner time I assume…?" Elijah said smugly as he scanned the items in his room.

"Cut the bullshit… I don't like or trust you and I'm sure you feel the same about me. What do you want? If you're still waiting for an apology, then you're wasting your time?"

Elijah laughed, "You remind me so much of my brother…" he paused to turn around and face him, "look… I understand your mistrust and I also understand you wanting to protect the lovely Elena… more than you think I would be able to…"

Damon eyed the old vampire warily, but couldn't deny that he had his interest peaked.

"You couldn't possibly know what you're talking about… you…" he growled.

"Just listen…" he gestured with his hand for them to have an open conversation between gentlemen. Much like remembered his father having business meetings back in those days.

Damon sighed; "Fine…" he leaned against one of the poles of his bed, "Talk…"

Elijah nodded, "My brother and I were really close once upon a time. I'd done pretty much anything for him, that's how strong our bond was…"

"Brother…?" he questioned.

"Yes… and we'll get to that. See, much like I've heard of you and your brother's story… it all went south because of a girl…"

Damon was listening intently now, yet, trying to figure the purpose of him wanting to tell him this.

"He and I got into a fight much like what Miss Elena and I witnessed today, and that brought me to confirm what I'd deduced I thought of you…"

"Really… and what is that?"

"That you love her…" he said.

Damon gritted his teeth and felt his body tense.

"Back in the day my brother and I reveled on being vampires. With elegancy, of course, after all we are the originals, but he… he was always more ruthless than I ever wanted to be. I guess I was more in touch with my humanity then. What's it you kids, say…? Ah right… rookie mistake… Nevertheless, I stood by his side until one of our minions brought a very especial girl…" he paused, "Her name was Katerina Petrova…"

He looked up into Damon's shocked eyes.

"She was the key to breaking a very important curse that my brother was after… I'd never been an envious man, especially with him, but there had been something in the glimmer of her eyes the day we met that had called to a part of me that made me want to protect her… even though, she clearly fancied my brother…"

Damon was beginning to see a side of Elijah that sounded more familiar and sincere to him, though he wanted to hate him, something was telling him to give him the benefit of the doubt. So he walked to his private stash of whiskey, poured two glasses and handed one to him.

Elijah took the cup; this was progress, though they both still loathed each other. The deed told Elijah that he was opening up to whatever it is he was offering here.

"I uh… I made it my mission to find out everything about breaking the curse, what it would take, what would happen, and spoke to every witch and warlock at our disposal to find a way to save her life while still keeping my promise to my brother…"

"So by brother you mean Klaus. And let me guess…" Damon said, "You didn't find one?"

"Au contraire…" he sipped from the whiskey, "I found a way for the sacrifice to happen while sparing her life…"

Damon gazed at him intensely trying to figure out whether to believe him or not…

"So why did Katherine run…"

The cringe in Elijah's stare shocked Damon for a moment and he waited patiently for him to continue.

"Katerina ran away the night that I had planned to tell her…" he said gulping the rest of the whiskey.

Damon grabbed the bottle and poured him some more.

"But that's not all you were planning to tell her, was it?" he said catching up fairly quickly. The same woman that tore him and his brother apart apparently had a habit of doing _that_… way before she had reached them.

Elijah swirled the whiskey in the glass and gulped it down swiftly again.

"No… it wasn't all I planned to tell her…" he said standing up making his way out of his room.

"Elijah…" Damon called making him stop without facing him, "Did you love her?"

He turned around gazing at the open window; "You know… she was a lot like Elena is, smart, sweet, innocent, full of life…" he looked straight into Damon's expectant eyes and added, "I did…"

Damon hadn't expected him to be honest with him, but the fact was that they'd all fallen under the spell of the same woman and though for different reasons he'd torn both sets of brother's apart… _now_ he felt he could trust him.

"So you can understand my reluctance to put the life of the woman I love in your hands…"

"I can… but _I_ give you _my_ word…" he said gentlemanlike.

"_Your_ word means nothing to _me_…" he said politely.

Elijah walked back to pick up his empty glass; bit his wrist while making a fist to force his blood into the cup.

"Then how about my blood…" Damon stared at him like he'd lost his mind.

"Giving you _my_ _blood_ will make you one of _us_… the only way you can be killed is by a dagger that I now posses with ashes of a tree that no longer exists…" he handed him the cup.

"She gave you _what?_" Damon asked in a rage.

"See… you and I are not so different. We're in love with women that can never be ours;" he scoffed, "they probably don't even care or know the lengths we've gone to to take care of them, we've ruined our relationships with our brothers, and would probably risk our lives and do it all a million times over again if that meant they'd be ours…"

Damon knew that much was true… He reached for the glass he offered and chugged it down. It had been the thickest most disgusting substance that he had ever tried to swallow. And he soon felt it… his muscles tighten with strength, his veins burn with a power that enveloped him and made him feel invincible, which he probably was now…

Elijah walked to the door and said; "_You're_ _welcome_… and before you try… you can't compel another original…" he smirked and walked off.

Damon stared at the now empty door where Elijah had stood. He'd said 'you're welcome' in a knowing way that bothered him, but why… He then heard with his new heightened senses that Elena had been listening from the other bedroom. He'd always been able to sense her and feel her, but this new power practically found her in the house like GPS tracking.

She must have sensed that she'd been caught because she stepped into the room, fidgeting with her hands nervously.

"It's not true, you know…." Elena began apologetically.

"What's not true…?" he said upset she'd listened to probably everything.

"That I don't care or notice all the things you've done to care for me…"

"Well you have a funny way of showing it…" he said bitterly.

His tone cut through her but wanting to prove to him that it mattered, she walked to him and pulled his ring of his finger and putting it on her thumb.

"What are you doing…?" he asked taken.

"You don't need it anymore…" she smiled consciously at him, "Damon… I don't have time to try and deal with things of you and me right now. Too many things are at stake, but if I survive this I promise you…"

"Shh shh shh…" He placed a finger to her lips, "you will survive this… and don't make promises that you can't keep…" he said in a pained distant expression.

The look on his face only made her more determined. She removed his finger from her lips stubbornly, "No Damon… I'm not Katherine, you need to know that I love…"

"Don't!" Damon closed his eyes wondering if this was a trick of his mind, "Don't say it unless you mean it…" he whispered.

At the silence that surrounded him, he opened his eyes in fear, searching her face for any sign of an emotion. She took off her vervain necklace and tossed on the bed, while placing both hands on either side of his face…

"_I am… in love… with you…"_ she mouthed for him, "I won't wear the necklace if you want and I'll wear _your_ ring… kind of high schoolish, I know, but given the state of things… it'll be my promise to you, of _us_."

He smirked grabbing the necklace off the bed and placing back on her. Then he went to his dresser and pulled out a black velvet box.

As he walked back to her, he said, "My mother left me this… it is my most priced possession…" he opened the box revealing a Salvatore Crest ring. You could tell it was white gold with a beautiful oval shaped lapis lazuli stone, and the crest was set on top with very well-designed dazzling detail…

She raised her trembling hand for him to slip it onto her finger and it fit like it'd been made just for her.

"It's startlingly beautiful…" she breathed as she admired it on her finger.

He grabbed her hand kissing it… She made a move to pull him down for a kiss but he stepped back… she looked up at him hurt.

"I want our first kiss to happen when you're mine…" he explained, "not while you're still my brother's. Wear the ring and I'll know your heart…"

She walked up to him caressing his cheek lovingly and finished for him, "belongs to you…" she said in confirmation. They embraced in a hug… allowing themselves to bask in the essence of each other.

/

Elijah walked into the living room noticing the tense expression of Stefan's face as he absentmindedly stared up…

The older vampire genuinely feeling bad for him went up to him… "I'm sorry…"


	2. Chapter 2

**_Hello TVD Fans... so I'm sure you guys are dying as much as I am for the new season to start. AH! WE want it... now :) Anyways... here's another little chapter. Hope you enjoy and please please please, if you'd like another chapter- Review._**

**_Love it, hate it, want more of something, write me one word or a million. I just want to know what you think. Happy reading :)_**

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><p><em><strong>Previously... <strong>The older vampire genuinely feeling bad for him went up to him… "I'm sorry…"_

/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/

Stefan turned from staring at the ceiling to look straight into Elijah's eyes…

"It's okay…" he said in a pained voice, "I had the feeling that her heart didn't lie with me for a while now. It was just a matter of time as to when she'd figure it out."

Elijah nodded, "That doesn't mean it hurts any less…"

Stefan nodded making his way to the liquor cabinet. I'd been a while since the last time he'd had a drink, but given the current situation and what was to come… he _needed_ it.

"No it doesn't." he paused, "Did you… do you really… love… Katherine…?" Stefan wanted to know.

Elijah's lips curved, "Yes…" he said simply.

"Does she know…?" he questioned as he poured him glass as well. Could it have been that _she_ hadn't even loved him as well? Stefan wondered.

"I don't know…" he walked towards him taking the drink, "I at least never got the chance to tell her, but I thought it was obvious… my affection for her, that is."

"It's not always _that_ obvious…" Stefan said thinking of Elena and Damon, then he tensed, as he heard the light steps coming down the stairs.

Elijah finished his drink and set it on the small table, "I'll be seeing you tomorrow as planned…" he said gazing at Elena who was walking in.

She gave him a small smile and he was gone.

"Stefan…?" Elena approached carefully.

"Elena…" he said unemotionally, not looking at her.

"Can we… can we talk…?" she said hesitant.

He could hear the apologetic tone in her voice already and he honestly didn't want to listen to what she had to say. He poured himself another glass, some liquid courage to get through this.

"I know what you're going to say…" he interjected, "and I don't want to hear it."

"But…"

"No…" he finally turned to face her, "all I need to know… I already heard. I'd been wondering how long it was going to be till you figure it out."

He sighed.

"Look… we met, we fell in love, and it was epic. You gave me a reason to live and I gave you some sense of a life back."

"You gave me more than that…" she walked towards him to try and comfort him, but he put up his hand to stop her.

"I will stay here till we take care of Klaus and then I'm going to go."

Elena's eyes began to tear up but she said nothing. She understood… if it were her in his position, she'd probably not be able to handle being close to someone who doesn't care for you the way you do for them.

He finally walked towards her raising her chin to look up to him, "You guys will be good together…" he tried to smile, "and who knows, you may have even given me my brother back, so thank you…" he took the last of his liquor then headed up the stairs.

Elena stayed back, staring at the fire that sizzled in a calmed fashion. It seemed that though the dangerous situation with Klaus was outside the walls of the mansion, the current situation between the brothers and herself was at peace. Things were the way they need to be.

/

Stefan was making his way to his bedroom when he felt a hand on his shoulder…

"Please Damon; I'm not in the mood…" Stefan said tiredly.

Damon placed himself in front of him, "Why'd you do it?" he said truly taken.

"Do what?" he questioned.

"Step aside…" he said leaning against the wall of his bedroom now, crossing his arms, "I didn't do for you with Katherine…" he provided.

"True…" he agreed, "but her way of being poisoned us. I think we can both agree that Elena brings out the best in us…" he paused, "and she's in love with _you_… there's nothing else to it. I'm not going to get in the way of that. We already made that mistake once; we don't need to relive that again."

Damon nodded then walked up to his brother placing a hand on his shoulder as he stared at him…

"Thank you…" Damon said genuinely.

Stefan gave him a small smile as they stared at each other with brotherly affection and then they somewhat embraced awkwardly. Damon finally made his way out of his room and just before he stepped out he said…

"And don't you think for a second that because of _this_… I'm going to go easy on you now…" he joked.

"Wouldn't know you any other way…" he returned smiling.

Damon finally left and Stefan sat on his bed thinking. I'd been a while since he'd written in his journal since everything that was worth enjoying was right in front of him. But now… that another chapter of his life had closed. He pulled out his journal and began to write the beautiful story that had been him and Elena that was now… for sure over.

/

Two months later…

Damon paced in the living room like a caged animal… I mean, sure he'd told Elena that he didn't want to start anything until she'd broken up with Stefan definitely but this was ridiculous. Two months ago they'd gone up against Klaus and they'd beaten him…

Shortly after that John had called him from the airport stating that he had been given custody of Jeremy and Elena and that he was taking them away on vacation to try and leave all their grief behind.

He understood… he didn't like it, but he understood. Had he known he was taking her away for this long though, and he would've off tagged along, though in a way it had been better this way. To give her time to mourn the loss of her aunt and space to make sure that even with time… she'd still want to chose _him_.

He cringed…

Guess that's what was driving him insane… If there had been at least a memory of the two of them, then Elena would have something to hold onto, but all that had existed between them was a moment in which her life was at stake (he grimaced, no pun intended) and all she held from him was the promise of his love, which she _knew_ she had, but what about _him_…

He glanced at the liquor cabinet and shook his head…

No… he wanted to be sober when he saw her again. She'd arrive finally home today and he couldn't do anything but wait anxiously. He looked at the time… any minute now the shuttle should be dropping them off at home.

He grabbed his keys to drive his car to her house… it was a way to make him slow down, because his first thought was to run in vampire speed to her, but he didn't want to seem desperate, even if that's how he felt.

/

So much for the taking his time… he'd been cruising along normally and the moment he somehow felt her presence, he gunned the accelerator and was in front of her empty house in practically seconds.

But then a shuttle pulled up, he saw John and Jeremy head to the back grabbing their luggage as Elena seemed to be gathering all her stuff.

He thought about the fact that he was there and then asked himself, and being here before she even arrived isn't desperate?

The moment she stepped out of the shuttle she looked in his direction, her expression was blank and he couldn't spot the ring he'd given her… his heart clenched.

She finally locked eyes with him and gave him a small smile… he didn't like that; it seemed more like a polite smile instead of a genuine one. He finally decided to approach, if she was going to break his heart he'd rather it happened fast.

"Elena…" he said carefully, "how was your vacation…?"

She smiled back… "Good, thank you…" she glanced at John and Jer who were looking at her expectantly.

"You coming…?" John asked.

"Is it okay if I go with Damon…" she asked, "we need to catch up…"

Damon didn't like the sound of that… she was acting so… proper…

John nodded, "Call if you're going to be late…"

"I won't be…" she answered surely.

Okay… now Damon was on full on alert. Maybe she met someone out of town. Or she still had feelings for his brother, or maybe… STOP! He finally told himself… since when was he _this_ guy… the one who could be broken by a girl.

Elena made her way to his car putting her stuff in the back seat, he opened the door for her and she slid in gracefully, she gave him a heart melting grin…

Oh that's why, he thought, because it's not just any girl it was Elena…

/

They made the drive in tense silence and Damon actually had to gulp at how edgy he felt…

They pulled up to the Salvatore Mansion… she was about to open her own door when he placed his hand on it to stop her. He flashed to the other side and then opened that door for her.

"Thank you…" she said as she reached for her stuff in the back, but he went ahead and stepped in front of her taking it for her.

As he grabbed her stuff, she headed to the door opening it as this house technically still belonged to her…

She took a deep breath, God she was dying, pretending not to want to jump Damon's bones the moment she spotted his car in the driveway was killing her, but she clearly remembered the day he'd given her the ring that she'd tried to kiss him, and he'd pulled away. Well that and the fact the he didn't even bother to call her once since.

Elena had understood why he did it, but that didn't take away from the fact that he'd rejected her and he'd bruised her female ego big time… so, payback's a bitch. She smiled devilishly. She'd been able to notice how on edge he was, he was probably freaking out at her attitude and she was loving every moment of it.

She heard him approach from behind her and she turned around to face him, a blank expression on her face. His looked pained, like he was expecting the worse. She sauntered towards him while saying…

"Stefan…?"

"Gone…"

"Damon…" she paused for effect, "we need to talk…"

He tensed even further if that was even possible… his chest felt constricted and he was about to lose his mind.

Elena noticed his aggrieved expression and that broke through the control she'd been fronting. She practically finished running the rest of the way to him to crash her body to his while pulling him towards her for a kiss. She was kissing him desperately trying to hold onto every essence that was that of Damon's.

He'd first been rigid and scared, but the moment their lips collided he surrounded her body with his deepening the kiss in want pushing her to the back of the couch… His lips roamed over hers passionately, he swept in massaging her tongue with his, then allowing hers to come to him as he nibbled on it lightly. She moaned delighted and he began to growl in lustful response.

Damon's mind finally caught up with his actions and he pulled her away from him abruptly…

"What the hell Elena…" he put space between them, "when we first saw each other you gave me the cold shoulder… including, the whole drive here, then with no warning what so ever, you flip the switch and your making out with me?"

"Yes…" she said walking towards him, "is that ok…?" she whispered seductively.

"No! It's not okay…" he walked away from her as she tried to get close to him again, "what changed…?"

"I missed you…" she continued huskily, "let me show you how much…"

She was before him and she grazed a finger over his manly bulge. He shivered…

"Behave!" he held her hand.

She began to pout; "Fine!" she plopped down on the sofa crossing her arms.

He took a deep breath to keep from ripping her clothes off and have his way with her right here, right now.

"What was with the cold treatment earlier…?"

She arched an eyebrow amused, "What about it…?"

Damon passed a hand through his hair, "Did I… did I do something to upset you?" he hated how pathetic he sounded, but he needed to know.

"Maybe…" she smiled.

"What…?" he questioned not pleased with her smile.

"You turned me down the day you gave me this ring…" which she pulled out from her necklace and placed on her finger now, "when I tried to kiss you… and then I'm gone for TWO months and I hear nothing from you?"

Damon stared darkly in understanding, "I didn't know I was allowed to call you, I thought…"

"Since when do you care about what you're allowed to do or not?" she interrupted frowning.

He nodded, okay she had a point. His trademark smirk then appeared on his lips and he was on her in a flash.

"Let me show _you_ how much _I_ missed you…" he said softly pushing his body onto hers.

She moaned in response to the friction he was providing… he began working her up, tugging at her clothes, placing open mouthed kisses on her skin, caressing all the right places, while he naughtily slipped his hand into her jeans…

"Damon…" she gasped pleased… and the moment he felt her tense in release, he stopped.

She grumbled in half anger and disapproval then stared confused…

"Someone has lesson to learn…" he whispered huskily in her ear.

She shrieked as he flashed them upstairs to his bedroom, then continued, "payback's a bitch Elena, and I'm gonna torture you so much that you're never going to even _**think**_ of doing that to me again…" he said wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.

Elena stared stunned, she was sure Damon was going to be give her the kind of pleasure she'd never known, but his wicked remark about making her pay, she knew she was going to regret. But at least they were together now and that's all that mattered.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello everyone :) So I finally felt like I had a good chapter on my hands. Hope you enjoy it... SMUT alert, the most I think I've written. Hope you like and please let me know your thoughts.**_

_**Happy reading and PLEASE review :)**_

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

After some days of relishing the fact that they were only each other's… Damon and Elena were in bed early, but not to sleep…

/

"Damon…yesss…" Elena gasped in pleasure from the orgasm that over took her body… she writhed under the delicious weight of him on her as he thrust powerfully into her core. She glanced up in time to see Damon's cerulean orbs darken in lust as his veins came forth from the power of their emotions. She should have been scared, but she wasn't…

The fact that his vampire façade came forward during their these moments, told her just how powerful they felt about each other.

"God, Elena…" he groaned as the muscles surrounding him tightened in pleasure as she fell apart around him. That was enough to send him over the edge… feeling his member jerk excitedly… he burst into a delicious frenzy, spilling himself into her.

She hadn't been wrong… Damon had most certainly rocked her world. And he had sure as hell made her suffer enough under his touch. She'd learned her lesson, alright; he'd brought her to the brink of ecstasy only to leave her hanging until she literally began to beg for him to let her come.

He kissed her lightly on her lips… she hummed her approval… "I could do this all night…"

He chuckled, "Of course you could, I'm awesome…" he said playfully smug.

She rolled her eyes at him as he slipped next to her to snuggle up against her.

"Who would have known that you could be this loving…" she said while snuggling closer.

"Shh…" he said, "Don't tell. Might ruin my rep…"

She giggled, "and we don't want that now do we?" she teased.

Damon began placing small kisses on her neck and down her shoulder feeling her shiver in delight.

"Only for you Miss Elena…" he whispered against her skin. She sighed content closing her eyes; she was letting sleep claim her when she heard him say…

"_Mi sono innamorato di te Elena…"_ He'd heard his father say that to his mother once, way too long ago during his childhood, and he remembered his mother had told him… that you only said that to the love of your life… to your true love…

"Hum…?" she said sleepily, turning around to face him. Whatever he'd said it had sounded beautiful in his, what she assumed was his Italian accent, which was foreign to her.

He smiled at her and brought her sleepy eyes to look at him, "I'm so in love with you Elena… you're the one… you are the woman of my life, I wish… to never be apart from you ever…"

She smiled lovingly, "You… are my world Damon… and I'm sure you know that I am more in love with you than is good for me…"

She pressed her lips to his… they took in all that had been said and then they pulled apart. Elena rested her head on his chest letting sleep finally take her.

Damon felt her body relax and her breathing settle to a steady rhythm… he was caressing her skin just delighting himself in that fact that he actually had her now. She was his… life couldn't get any better than that. With that last thought in his mind, he let sleep take him as well, as he took pleasure in the warm body by his side.

/

Elena woke up early to find Damon's body still entangled with hers… there was such a cute expression on his face. He seemed genuinely happy and it made his face look innocent… almost like a little kid.

She stirred from his side peppering his face with kisses to wake him up… as she made her way from his forehead to his cheek and down to his lips… they had curved into a sexy smile.

He wrapped his arm around her waist bringing her on top of him, still not opening his eyes… She giggled happily as she continued to peck him until she began placing kisses on his lips getting him frustrated to the point where he growled teasingly holding her to him… while kissing her passionately claiming her mouth with his.

Their kiss quickly escalated and Elena could feel the proof of his arousal nudging against her core. Damon let a growl escape him as his manhood teased at her entrance feeling the readiness in her body…

His teasing was driving her insane so she set herself more comfortably straddling him and the moment his hips surged up to tease her once more… she pushed herself onto him. They both groaned in pleasure as she quickly began to ride him… The teasing only worked her up to the point were she wanted him filling her, to build her up to that point in which he'd make her burst of a pleasure she knew would come.

"Oh yes… Damon yes…" she moaned while riding him.

He'd quickly set his hands on her hips helping the friction and increase the pace… the moment he angled himself to suck at her breasts she came around him. The new angle had provided Damon to surge deeper into her, and that combined with her muscles contracting around him, had him rupture delectably inside her. They moved synchronized as the last waves of their orgasms passed through their bodies…

They kissed ardently as they panted slightly, covered in sweat from their morning love making, feeling satisfyingly numb.

When they finally pulled apart… Elena said…

"Good morning…" she grinned.

"Great morning I'd say…" he returned, "we should get ready… our guests await us…"

"Guests?" Elena said shocked.

"Yeah…" he answered rolling his eyes at the thought of having to get out of bed, "we have company… I would have told you sooner, but I wasn't passing up some mornin' lovin'…" he said doing the eye thing.

She tossed a pillow at him appalled as he got out of bed to grab a shower…

"Ugh… who?" she asked.

"Who else…" he said preparing the water, "Daddy dearest, Jer, Judgy, Ric, Wolf boy, Barbie, Elijah and to my distaste… Katherine…"

"What are they…?" She began to question when he interrupted…

"Shower…" he singsonged, "they can wait till we're done for all I care…" he'd already had the water running, so he rushed to her… picked her up and brought her in with him.

This was an interesting change of events… the wanna be Scooby gang was all gathered here for God knows what reason.

/

After a non rushed shower per Damon's resistance… both Damon and Elena descended down the stairs holding hands to find them all in the kitchen serving themselves breakfast they assumed they'd brought…

"Does anyone here understand the concept of privacy… or knocking for that matter…?" Damon said annoyed.

"Well good morning to you too…" Caroline said.

Tyler just laughed… his acute hearing had confirmed everyone's suspicions as to what they'd been up to upstairs.

Damon scoffed, "Ric… Elijah… John…" he said in way of greeting that's as polite as he'd get.

"Hey guys…" Elena said shyly as her and Damon approached the bar.

"Damon…" Ric said hading him a glass with blood, "Sorry for barging in, we just have stuff to discuss. We figured to all meet here…"

"We called both your cell phones…" John said glancing disapprovingly at Elena.

"We uh… we turned them off…" Elena said taking a cup of coffee from Bonnie.

"We figured…" Bonnie said.

"What were you guys doing that…" Jer began when Katherine finally made her presence known cutting him off…

"You don't want know, trust me…" Kat rolled her eyes.

"Katerina… my dear…" Elijah said lovingly in advice.

She just shrugged… "He doesn't…" Kat accused.

"Why…? OH!" Jer said understanding, "Eww… I'm about to have breakfast _thank you very much_…"

"At least you didn't have to _hear_ it…" Caroline exclaimed.

"CAROLINE!" They all practically yelled.

Damon laughed, "Should teach you all to not make your selves at home. _Mi casa __**NO**__ es su casa_ people…" he walked over to Elena hugging her by the waist while adding, "Remind me to change those locks, I think they actually like me now…"

Elena giggled… as they all gaze at the couple amazed. They seemed so happy together… they just made sense, why they hadn't noticed before, they figure it had to do with Damon always being on a rampage killing or obsessing over Katherine.

It should have been weird to have Katherine be here, but ever since Elijah had confessed his feelings to her… she'd been a different person. Yes she was still spoiled and selfish but her love for him had created a new tenderness about her that Elijah seemed to bring out in her. His love had changed her, and she'd realized she wanted to be worthy of that love and the man that was Elijah… including everything he offered.

Elena looked up to find them all staring at them and she just smiled, "So what's for breakfast…?" she said changing the subject.

They had brought a great assortment of food from the typical of eggs, ham, bacon, and juice to different types of pastries, eggs in all styles, pancakes, French toast, cappuccinos, and lattes…

The group all got their plates and headed to the dinning room to eat… Damon would never admit this out loud, but as he looked around the great old fashioned rectangular table before him… full of the people closest to him considering friends, actually made him happy. Even after everything that Katherine had done to him, her presence didn't affect him. He loved Elena fervently… something that he'd never felt with her or anyone for that matter.

He'd hate to admit this but he had tolerated her at first because Elijah had suddenly become a good friend, and she was unfortunately an extension of him. John he'd won over after protecting Elena, and she gave their daughter-father relationship a shot when they went out of town.

Things were almost normal… except for Stefan leaving to soul search, but he knew his brother would be back when he was ready.

"Well…" Damon began, "before this turns into an episode of One Tree Hill… what business must we discuss…?"

Elijah smirked, "You must remember that I agreed to kill Nicklaus with the understanding that if my search for my family turned unsuccessful, I'd come back here to obtain your help…"

"Right…" Damon said, "So I assume your search went nowhere…"

"Precisely…" he sipped some coffee while taking a pastry.

"What does that have to do with the rest of them…?" Elena gestured to everyone else.

"It's not going to be easy Elena…" Katherine explained, "The more help we have the better…"

"We're all in this together sis…" Jer said, "He helped us out; the least we can do is help him out…"

"It's only reasonable…" John said.

"Plus we want to help…" Caroline said, "We're the closest thing we have to a family…well one very dysfunctional family…"

"And families help each other…" Tyler filled in.

"Dysfunctional is understatement…" Ric chimed in.

Damon raised an eyebrow, "Help each other?" he paused, "That's if we don't kill each other first…"

They all laughed… it was true.

He smirked, "Enough with the puppies and rainbows… so where do we start then…?"

Bonnie pointed to the spell books she'd brought, "Locator spells I suppose…" she said.

"Okay…" Elena sighed giving in, "I guess soon after breakfast we dive into search mode…"

They all nodded in agreement while they continued to enjoy the rest of their morning. This was to be an interesting development if nothing else...


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hello all :) Okay so... so glad that you all are enjoying this story. I know where I want it to end but I didn't know how I was going to get there, but it seems the characters themselves have decided. Had a path in mind and they decided a different direction, but anyways... Hope you enjoy and as always :) Please review...**_

**_And thank you for reading!_**

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

Days of intense researching later… the whole group was in the study, looking through books, checking online, and had different Grimoires sprawled about the room. They hadn't been able to find a successful locator spell that would work on a vampire, much less an original. They were running out of options and Elijah was beginning to regret to have killed his brother before making him tell him, where his family was.

Katherine had taken a break, and though Elijah was the type of man to not let his emotions show, she knew he was hurting and she felt helpless. He sat on a single sofa with a book on his lap with his forefinger and thumb to his forehead and temple.

There was silence in the room and just the shuffling of paper and key strokes as they turned pages or typed on the keyboards… Kat went behind the sofa Elijah sat in, and began to massage his shoulders while running a hand through his silky hair. He didn't like the public display of attention since he was from a time where affection would only be shown behind closed doors, but hanging around all of these youngsters, had loosened him up a bit.

Elena sat between Damon's legs as they read the same book… Yes, it was counterproductive since each of them could just hold a different book and get more done, but it seemed that all the books were just being repetitive and nothing new was in them. Damon would kiss and caress her skin as she pretended to be actually reading something.

Ric, Jer, John, and Bonnie sat on the study's table scanning more books and Tyler and Caroline sat on the couch with laptops, as they nudged and flirted back and forth with each other. While attempting to work…

Elijah closed his eyes to enjoy Katerina's calm ministrations when Bonnie yelled triumphantly.

"I think I found something…" she was so excited, she jumped off from the chair.

All the vampires flashed to her side, looking over her shoulder while trying to take it away, as she read from the old diary… moving away from them.

They grumbled displeased, but waited.

"Move it Bonnie… what did you find?" Damon questioned crossing his arms. Elijah hadn't moved as he didn't want to get excited if it was a false alarm.

Bonnie read… "It says…"

"_My love Lord Nicklaus is never going to admit his love for me… but because I love him immensely, I will do his bidding. The curse… he insists must be broken, and though he seems sure to obtain his ideal. I can tell there is doubt in his beautiful evergreen eyes. I am his found doppelganger, but because he says he fell for the charms of me, he refuses to go through with it. He said he'd rather wait another hundred years till a new one is born to take my place. He came to me last night, after a night of passion and said, 'that shall something go wrong, he wants to have a fall back plan.' One of the many reasons I know his love for me to be true. He no longer trusts anyone but himself, Elijah and me… though Elijah has no idea I exist."_

Bonnie paused taken by the content… Klaus had loved someone? How the hell had that happened? How…?

"God Bonnie…" Care said exasperated, taking the diary from her, "blah blah blah… I exist..." and she continued reading…

"_Which is where I come in… he wants me to find his successor, someone whose name he will not share with me, but has referred to him to be 'the ripper.' I have heard murmurs of such treacherous creature, but have never met him face to face. If that's what he wishes though… then I will follow through."_

At the word 'Ripper…' Damon and Elijah gazed at each other with concerned eyes…

Caroline thought about that for a moment, so this person the Ripper was probably the person to find… right? He must know where Elijah's family is…

Katherine then grabbed the book from Caroline when she stopped reading, and continued where she had left off herself…

"_If I could only tell him though… that his successor would have his own blood and is the mere reflection of his father. But he can never know I bared his child, but with him I will leave the secrets of his past."_

Katherine then stopped reading abruptly as she saw the named it was signed by… It can't be possible, she thought.

"Well…" Elena asked impatiently, "What is it Katherine…?"

Kat looked up from the book not being able to read it. Elena stood and grabbed the book from her hand, and read the line….

"It's signed… _"Kate Elizabethea Petrova…"_

Elijah's face was grim with anger as he went to grab the diary to see the signature from the book himself, and there it was… Clear as crystal… Kate Elizabethea Petrova. He tossed the book aside and headed for the door…

"Beloved…?" Katherine called after him following him out the door.

Damon picked up the book and couldn't believe it himself… the most important words stood out clearly. The Ripper, Successor, and Kate Elizabethea Petrova…

"Am I missing something here…?" Elena asked, noticing Damon's expression. She knew him well enough to know… they HAD found something…

"Um… not now Elena…" Damon said grabbing his jacket.

"Damon…?" Ric called.

"Damon Salvatore!" Elena said threateningly.

His back was to her and with a visible sigh and slump of his shoulders, he said, "There's something I gotta do okay?" he turned around to face her, "I'll tell you tonight…" then gave Ric the look of you better not try and stop me too.

She nodded reluctantly and watched him leave.

"Okay…" Tyler let out running a hand through his hair, "that wasn't awkward or anything…" he said sarcastically.

"Yeah…" Caroline agreed.

John picked up the diary and asked, "Where did you find this, Bonnie…?"

"I… I don't even know anymore… in a box… full of other old looking books…" she said.

"How did it get there…?" Ric wondered out loud annoyed at Damon; days they had looked over the same books, and until now it had appeared?

"Maybe we'd all been so focused on finding a locator spell that we over looked that book in particular…" Jer offered.

"Maybe…" Elena sighed, "I think it's time for a family tree, don't you John, I mean, dad?"

John nodded with a smile, "I'll go through our files…"

"I'll help…" Jer said and Bonnie quickly tagged along…

"I'll go with them, maybe there will more of her diaries…" she smiled.

"Uh huh… sure…" Elena smiled. She knew she just wanted to go with her brother.

"I think me and Tyler are going to go see if we can find out from others, who this Ripper person is…"

"Yeah…" Tyler said, "Great idea…"

Ric and Elena were the only ones left standing there…

"A child?" Elena said, "An ancestor of mine had Klaus' child?"

Ric scoffed, "I can't believe the bastard actually fell in love…" he thought for a moment, "you know… it must be like a 'your blood line thing' this desire to love vampires… there is something seriously wrong with you all…"

"Hey…" she said insulted.

"I don't mean it in a wrong way… I love that you and Damon have made it work and all. He is my best friend, but I can't help but point out the obvious… Elizabethea, Katherine, Isobel, you…"

Elena thought about that… so it would seem. One way or another… her and her ancestors had a very strong tie in past with vampires… and not just any vampire, the originals.

/

Elijah was by the river… lost in thought with Katerina by his side trying to soothe his foul mood and find out what the hell she'd missed. Damon caught up to them fast and began approaching them…

Elijah cocked his head to the side acknowledging his presence. When Damon stood right next to him, he waited to for him to speak…

"Katerina, leave us…" Elijah said.

"Elijah please let me…" she interjected, but he cut her off.

"Darling please…" he said more tenderly. She somewhat bowed, nodded her head at him and walked away. Though not far… far enough from him noticing her, but close enough to listen in.

Elijah sighed, "Ah Damon…" he said in a shaking breath.

"I know…" Damon said, and he did. He understood Klaus had lied to him and intended to kill the love of his life because he hadn't wanted to sacrifice the love of _his_ life. It was betrayal to the very core…

"The bastard never told me…" his form began to tremble in anger, "not even that he fathered a child, well… not that he knew, but still…"

Damon placed a hand on his shoulder, "We're going to find your family… I promised…"

Elijah nodded, but still wondered, "What is it about the Petrova women that drive men insane…?"

"Wish I knew…" Damon chuckled.

"You know… if that diary is true then we have two things to do…" he sighed, "find out if this nephew of mine is still alive and find the Ripper…" Elijah glanced at Damon then.

"I know…" Damon said shaking his head, "I'll call Stefan after I talk to Elena tonight…"

"Good…" he said, then called out to the wind, "You can join us now love…"

Katherine flinched, Oops… maybe she wasn't as slick as she thought she was. She appeared in flash next to them, and apologetic look on her face.

"You're predictable Kat…" Damon said unsurprised.

"Sure are…" Elijah agreed.

Katerina smiled and took Elijah's hand… "Yeah well, you shouldn't hide stuff from me…"

"I would have told you…" he answered her.

She shrugged, "Let's go home… we'll think about our next step tomorrow…"

Elijah nodded.

"I have to go deal with Elena's wrath so… let's meet at the mansion early morning…" Damon said and without waiting for a response, he was gone.

/

Damon made to the mansion in record time and as he approached the door, he opened it slowly…

"She's not down here…" Ric said.

Damon walked in, "Oh… what are you still doing here…"

"Just didn't feel right to leave her alone in this huge house, but I'm leaving…" he said picking up some books.

Damon nodded, "Hey um… thanks and be here tomorrow early… have tons of stuff to do…"

Ric nodded and left.

Damon sighed and made his way upstairs, he opened the door to his bedroom to find Elena coming out from the bathroom in a bath robe, his eyes flashed with lust and he quickly forgot what he'd gone in there for.

He rushed to pull her to his body, captured her lips possessively letting his tongue roam inside her mouth, nibbling lightly at her lower lip while making his way down her neck… he growled playfully there… she laughed and then tried to push him away…

"Da-mon!" she struggled still laughing, "Damon, stop…" she said more seriously.

He pulled slightly away from her pouting while saying, "Oh come on, you can't step out of the bathroom like this…" he eyed her, "and not… expect me… to want you…" he whispered hoarsely.

"No…" she tried to not to fall for his sad puppy look and continued, "what we found means something… where'd you go…?"

Damon pursed his lips in displeasure and sighed… "Ugh, fine…" he walked to lie on the bed, "party pooper…"

She glanced at him finding it cute that he was all pouty and said, "How about a game…" she smirked seductively, "for every piece of information… I'll move closer to you while revealing some skin…" she gazed at him.

He quickly perked up, "Okay…" he said excitedly, "You always know how to cheer me up…" he got more comfortable on the bed and said, "what do you want to know…?"


	5. Chapter 5

_**Oki dockie... So very sorry it took a while to update. In all honesty... writing smut is a lot harder than it sounds, maybe I'm just not gifted with that, but anyway. I wrote and checked and re-checked this chapter because I wanted it to be perfect... so I hope you like it. I think sometimes it flows out of me and sometimes it's just not happening.**_

**_Either way, enough of me and onto the chapter. Please review :) I LOVE all of your reviews, they make my day and also if you have a chance... I put a POLL up about starting a community and would love to know what you think._**

**_Okay, Happy Reading :)_**

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

Elena smiled seductively as she allowed her wet hair to slip out of the bun and said… "Where'd you go…?"

He grinned back, how cute, she was picking simple questions… "After Elijah…" he said rolling his eyes.

"Uh huh…" she continued, "but why…" she said taking a step closer to him while beginning to untie her robe.

Damon groaned inwardly as he wanted her with him already but she shook her head in no. He was going to have to wait till she made it all the way to him, so he pulled his t-shirt over his head then glanced at her desire filled orbs as she appreciatively looked over his toned chest while biting her lip.

He tried to focus on his answer as the action made him begin to ache for her even more… "Assuming what we found in the diary is true, that means that Klaus betrayed him."

"and why does that matter…?" she said stepping closer while allowing the robe to reveal one of her shoulders and the curve of her breast to him.

"Elena…" Damon said warningly holding back, as he undid his pants, throwing them on the floor…

She looked at him teasingly knowing she was torturing him and waited expectantly…

"Because he cared for his brother… he'd done anything for him at that time, and he chose _his_ woman over him and didn't even bother to tell him." Damon's proud erection could be seen through his boxer material, and Elena felt like giving in to him already, but she was not done…

"Okay…" she said breathy stepping closer, revealing her other shoulder, holding the bathrobe under her breast making them appealing to him…

"Mmrrr…" He groaned, he was getting desperate… Damon Salvatore was under the spell of a teenage girl and couldn't believe it.

"Who's the ripper…? I know you know…" she murmured.

Damon's eyes closed for a second, this was the question he was dreading having to answer and he was sure that if he answered right away with the truth, the mood would be over. He opened his eyes to find her raising an eye brow at him questioningly.

Elena could tell he didn't want to answer her, so she stepped closer giving him her back, then let the robe slid down to the top of her behind while looking over her shoulder waiting…

His eyes were eating her alive and she loved it… he wanted to lie to her, but he hadn't before and he wasn't about to start now. He felt his manhood throbbing for her but he was trying to ignore that to give her an answer.

"Yes…" he said strain fully, "Elijah and I, well… many vampires know of the ripper…"

Elena turned around to face him letting the bathrobe fall to the ground while reaching tentatively for his boxers and peeling them off.

"… He became a well known vampire because of his deeds… the savage killings of people, never holding back, gruesome had been his mark…" he made a move to grab her, but she pushed him onto the bed with her hand while crawling onto him.

"Uh huh…" she whispered leaning to him, kissing his neck and chest as his groans escaped his lips. He kept trying to touch her, grab her, pull her… _something_, but she kept smacking his hands away…

"And I… I…" he grunted as she ground her wet core against his thigh letting him know how ready she was for him, good god she was driving him insane. He couldn't even think anymore…

"Alright… I'm done playing…" he said while flashing her under him and possessing her lips urgently…

She kissed him back with as much fervor and passion moaning into his mouth… he was nudging against her entrance teasingly and she could feel herself instinctively arching up, giving in to him.

"Damon…" she whimpered.

He pulled up to stare at her with a smug grin and said, "Tell me to stop…"

She rolled her eyes playfully; he knew he had her… "Come here…" she tugged at his neck.

Her giving in had Damon painfully harder if that was even possible as he yearned to be embedded completely inside of her. He began kissing her once more… tongues thrusting into each other's mouth possessively. He began to kiss down her neck… licking and nipping lightly with blunt teeth as he went making her gasp pleasurably under him. He began to give thorough affection to her breasts… cupping and squeezing lightly as he took one of the sensitive buds into his mouth while expertly massaging the other…

"Ahhh… D-amon…" she whimpered at his touch.

She began to raise her hips up against him to encourage what she wanted and he chuckled lightly on her skin, the action causing her skin to shiver.

"Patience…" he whispered kissing down her belly… there was fire erupting wherever he touched, and she'd never ever felt more aroused in her life with anyone but him.

"Agh…" she complained, I don't think so… she was about to protest when she felt him insert a finger into her core… then two and three… making her cry out in pleasure. He loved watching her completely let go to the satisfaction he was giving her.

"Oh Damon…" she was grinding against his hand needing more of him… not wanting to be the only one so desperate, she reached for his member… wrapping her small hand around him as she began to work him up and down slowly then increasing her speed…

He groaned against her lips as he came back to kiss her in appreciation, faintly plunging into her hand… "Elena… I need…" he groaned.

She panted agreeing, "You… inside me…" the needy request was finally too much for him so he positioned himself in place, and drove himself into her honeyed awaiting folds hard… no matter how many times they'd done it… he was always surprised at how tight and perfect she held onto him. She was like a drug that he'd never be able to give up.

"Oh… god… I… love… you…" Elena said to him as he was thrusting into her powerfully, her muscles pulling at his restraint.

Damon kissed her again, groaning in approval, "Lo-ve y-ou…" his pace picked up and she met his trusts greedingly. He slipped his hand under her thigh, bringing it up to be able to seep deeper into her and she dug her nails into him in pleasure as he moaned from the incredible sensation… they were both so close…

"Damon…" she murmured, her skin burned with awareness, her belly was tightening as electricity seem to build up in her. His name being called out like that from her did weird things to him, as he felt the rush quickly build up inside.

He flashed them so that she was now on top and the new angle began to hit that spot and she knew she was gone… her muscles were gripped around him giving him that feeling of the soon arriving ecstasy…

"Come for me…" he muttered as his hands settled on her hips, pushing himself further into her, "I want to see you fall apart for me…" he finished huskily.

"Oh God…Damon!" his words combined with his expert hands while taking him deeper had her convulsing pleasurably in minutes and she began to ride out her mind numbing orgasm… the first of the night…

The last of her tightening spasms pulled at his pulsating member... completely gratifyingly… her stiffening her legs around him provided extra friction to which soon he was spilling himself into her… calling her name out in thorough bliss. There was no greater feeling than that of being there with her… her in his arms, loving him as much as he loved her, possessing each other in _almost_ every way possible…

It was unbelievable…

Elena lay on his chest completely spent, just taking in the scent of him… After a moment though, she said, "You didn't answer my last question you know…?"

Damon sighed, "Can't it wait…?"

She raised her head to look into his concerned blue eyes and said, "Okay…" cuddling up against him. It was getting late anyway and it wasn't like they could do anything right now.

/

The morning after… Elena woke up wrapped up in Damon toned arms… just as she always wished and hoped that that wouldn't ever change. He'd told her he'd be back in a flash to pick up some breakfast… while in the meantime she decided to get in the shower.

She'd just stepped out of the bath ready when she heard Caroline and Tyler enter the house very noisily knocking and yelling for her…

"Elena! Elena!" Care yelled.

Elena ran down the stairs, "Sheesh Caroline… I may not have vampire hearing, but I heard you the first time… What's up?" she said kind of annoyed.

She noticed her friend looked concerned…

"Um…" Care thought for a moment, "Where's Damon?"

"Went to pick up something for breakfast, why?" she answered.

"Well…" Tyler began, noticing Caroline didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, "We went asking around to find out who this Ripper character is and…." He paused…

By this time Damon had just pulled up, catching the last of the conversation… Shit! He thought… he grabbed the stuff and tried to rush inside before they told her who it was but he knew he was too late when her expression showed that of a catatonic one. He practically threw the bags at Tyler and went to Elena…

"Elena… sweet love…?" he was trying to snap her out of it.

Tears filled her eyes, "You knew didn't you?" she accused, "and so did Elijah…"

He nodded closing his eyes and waited for her to slap him for not telling her last night, but when the hit never came… he opened his eyes to find that she'd walked out towards the back garden.

"Couldn't have kept your mouth shut for one second, could you?" Damon told the couple pissed off.

"You knew?" Care and Tyler both answered.

"Of course, I knew…" he said incredulous, "you think that there would be a legend out for years about my psychotic brother that I wouldn't know about…?"

They stared stunned, "I was waiting for the right time to break the news…" They looked back at him apologetically as he went out behind her…

/

"Elena…" Damon approached cautiously.

"That can't be true Damon…" she began, voice breaking, "I may have not known Stefan enough, but the description of such a creature just can't be him, I refuse to believe that he was a soulless monster…"

He stood beside her bringing her into an embrace which she allowed, then looked up into his eyes waiting for an explanation…

"Say something…" she begged.

"I don't know what to say…" he admitted, "I can lie to you and say that that is not him, but the truth is that you just never saw him for who he really was and can be when he's out of control…"

"But you've been worst than him, how come there's no legend or story on you…?" she inquired…

"First of all… Ouch…" he said a little hurt, "that hurts… and I mean yes I've been evil… but unlike Stefan… I never wanted anybody to know about me and what I did, and _he_ did…" he paused, "being what we are, is all about power, Elena… he wanted to let everyone know he had it… and he was respected because of it. No one ever got in his way… well except me…" he winked at her trying to lighten the mood, "but no one knows about that… and then shortly after that, he met Lexi."

Elena nodded and after a while she said, "I understand… I just can't help but be upset…" she kissed him lightly on the lips then added, "That's why you didn't want to tell me last night, huh?"

He nodded, "I wish you would've never had to find out… but especially from me or them…" he gestured to inside of the house, "it wasn't my place… it should have been Stefan's…"

She visibly sighed while nodding her head, "I get it… so what now?"

"Well…" Damon said, "We're all to meet here and decide who goes where… all I know for sure is that you and I are going to go find Stefan, wherever the hell he is?"

"Okay…"

"Come on… let's get some breakfast in you…" he grabbed her hand while leading her inside.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hello TVD fans... is eveyone flipping about the new season? I just can't wait... Anyways... so this chapter was kind of tough in that I need it to set up the roads leading to the great end. Hope I did a good job and that it doesn't feel rushed. Knowing that this chapter is mostly to fill... I hope that the little treat towards the end pleases ;)**_

_**Please, please review... I'd love to hear you thoughts!**_

_**BTW... I created a community called The Hottest SMUT Damon & Elena Stories... anyone interested please check it out. If you love what you find then join by subscribing. Let's spread the Damon/Elena love *wink***_

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><p>Chapter 6<p>

It was noon by the time the rest of the group arrived to the Salvatore Mansion… They'd all began to analyze the new information as they were deciding who'd do what and who would go where. John had told them that he hadn't found anything in the Gilbert background that could be of use.

Bonnie, though, had found a couple of pictures, more like old drawing or paintings scrap looking paper, of what she assumed could be Klaus' and Elizabethea's son… she'd casted a locator spell that had somehow split into two locations… one was in Spain and the other in Bulgaria, that was as definite as she could get assuming her instincts were right. The rest was up to the others…

They'd now agreed that Bonnie would go in search of her cousin for any help or information she'd be able to provide… Jeremy and John were to be accompanying her.

Caroline and Tyler were to stay in town to protect it, should something happen or go wrong, especially since the full moon was coming up anyway. They couldn't risk him losing it somewhere outside of his restraints.

Elijah and Katerina were going to Bulgaria to speak with some contacts there in search of _said_ nephew… who apparently seemed to be alive still. Katherine wasn't too thrilled to go back to her mother land, but Elijah had convinced her that everything would be okay.

Damon had spent most of the morning trying to contact Stefan on his cell phone to his annoyance…unsuccessfully. It wasn't until after a while, that he got a reply text asking him if they were ok and if something was wrong. Damon had texted back that they were fine and that he just wanted to know where he was, possibly talk.

There had been no response from him for a moment and then all of a sudden, he'd gotten another text saying…

[Italy- the Villa]

And now all was set… Damon and Elena we're going to drive to Duke with Ric for some more of Isobel's old research. Anything that they might be able to find on the Originals…

After spending some time there doing some research, the three of them were to be flying out to Italy in search of Stefan. They hadn't told him anything since they didn't know the status of his current life style or just in case he decided to run.

It was a good thing it was summer or all of them just suddenly disappearing from school would have been odd.

So soon… world wide search was on its way…

/

On the road to Duke once more, was Ric, Damon, and Elena… they'd been driving for a couple of hours and as Damon and Ric chatted away what this all meant and what they could maybe find, Elena was tucked under Damon's arm fast asleep… All the worrying seemed to be taking a huge toll on her, and for some reason, sleep was all she'd been doing lately.

They pulled up to the school late evening to discover that Vanessa no longer worked there and that a new Research Manager had joined the school's team by the name of Meredith Sulez. She was the one to greet them at the door…

"You must be Ms. Sulez…" Ric said taking her hand… attraction evident on both sides.

Damon was just stepping out of the vehicle with a very sleepy Elena on his side…

"Mr. Salvatore…" Meredith greeted with a bit of excitement.

"Who the hell are you and how do you know who I am…?" Damon asked blunt.

"Damon!" Ric said scolding, "Sorry about my friend…" he smiled back the young woman.

She smiled back; "It's quite alright…" she turned to the vampire, "I know a lot more than you would think… just like I know you… Elena Gilbert, right?"

Elena looked at the woman, "Uh… yeah… why?"

"Been doing this job with the super natural for a long time…" she cut her off, "come on in please… tell me how I can help…"

Damon didn't like the disadvantage of her knowing all about them and _he_ knew nothing about her… this could be possibly problematic.

/

John pulled up to a home that looked very much too normal, as Jer and Bonnie stepped out to knock on the door. They waited patiently for someone to respond, and then the door opened revealing a familiar face… Lucy…

"Bonnie Bennett…" she said in way of greeting.

"We need your help…" Bonnie said an apologetic expression on her face.

Lucy nodded somewhat reluctantly and then allowed them into her home. She'd had the feeling that she'd see her cousin again, but she'd hoped she would be wrong at least about it being under these circumstances, she had an inkling as to why she was here and that meant this was no social call.

/

Forbes Residence… Caroline grabbed a duffel bag with a couple of overnight clothes as she yelled to her mother that she was going on a short family trip with Bonnie. Sheriff Forbes hadn't been too happy about it, but she'd agreed regardless.

Caroline went rushing out the door… looking at the time… she was running late. She needed to meet Tyler for the moon change and she'd left later than she'd expected.

He's going to kill me… she thought.

/

At sunset at the European Airport… Elijah and Katerina had just arrived during a late night flight to Spain. Being who he was and the power that his family had had for centuries, they had homes pretty much everywhere, but more so in Europe since this side of the world was a bit closer to home. He'd had a private driver pick them up to be dropped of at one of his homes.

Though circumstances were not the best, he was actually looking forward to showing Katerina around the area he knew while indulging her in his kind of lifestyle.

He'd made appointments with some of his acquaintances, witches and warlocks, the following day to see if they could tell him of his nephew and if yes, where they could find him. At least he now felt like they were getting closer to some form of answer… and possibly his family.

It was odd to examine the way things had happened… centuries he'd kept hidden from his brother and his minions while looking for Katerina to make up for his betrayal, though it had not been his fault. And yet somehow, he'd ended up in a small town willing to rip it apart only to find a sense of home that had been long forgotten there.

His misunderstanding with Katerina had been spoken off… and he felt completely and honestly devoted to her and could see it reflected in her for him. She still hadn't lost that fire and stubbornness about her but she brought what he'd call _fun_ into his life. He'd found a friend in Damon, which was what he _least_ expected, but he was glad to know that he was as much man of his word as he was. He'd promised him help… and he was following through…

Sometimes he was beginning to consider this goal too much work, which made him wonder if it at all was worth actually finding his family… there must have been another reason other than Nicklaus hatred towards them that had caused all this to happen. He felt there was so much more to this story that he had been completely left out of.

Facts to still be uncovered… he mulled over.

/

Damon kept shaking his head at the sight of the history teacher he'd quickly befriended since his return to Mystic Falls. Alaric was completely under the spell of the red head by the name of Meredith, which he wasn't even sure why he'd agreed to let her come on this trip. He glanced at Elena… stuffing herself with yet another plane meal as she smiled at him. How many was that, by the way?

He shook his head as she smiled at him, it had been because _she'd_ asked him too… claiming that Meredith's knowledge was too much and they would probably not remember everything that she'd been able and would be able to tell them.

Damon scoffed… the things he allowed her to drag him into doing…

On a positive note, he thought, Alaric hadn't seemed this happy since his relationship with Jenna. He knew Ric wasn't over it because they'd still go out drinking at night to drown his sorrows, but he could see the glimmer of hope in his eyes as this woman was completely enchanting him. At least he wasn't going to have to lie to her… she knew more about the supernatural than anyone they'd ever encountered.

So why not, he shrugged, a distraction is exactly what Ric needs.

/

A couple of hours closer to their arrival time… Damon had actually managed to get some shut eye when he felt hot breathes on his ear. Something moist was caressing the outer outline of it, traveling down his neck and up again while lightly nibbling on his lobe. He groaned involuntarily as he felt his member instantly harden… he peaked with one eye at Elena…

She grinned at him wickedly… Lust filled chocolate orbs gazing back, flushed cheeks making her that much more attractive as a waft of her arousal hit his nose…

He opened both his eyes pulling her lips to him for a wet kiss then whispered against them… "You realize were on plane right…?"

Elena nodded, her heart rising in want… "And…?" she said in a 'who cares' tone.

Damon gave her one of his best known devious smirks and pulled her to her feet while heading for a bathroom. Elena smiled triumphantly behind him… she'd passed out momentarily having a very delicious dream of Damon and woke up in such heat she felt like exploding, there was no way she'd be able to wait till they landed and checked into a hotel… She needed at least a quickie to hold her over…

The flight attendant noticed the hurried look on the couple's face while heading to the bathroom, a raised eyebrow came from Damon. She smiled knowing their intentions and she pretended not to notice, continuing on what she was doing.

Damon pulled open the small bathroom door; quickly locking it behind him… he'd barely turned around to face her when she literally threw herself at him in a heated kiss. Her hands pulling his body as close as possible, one on his shoulder while the other worked on pulling his face to her… Fingers entangling in his hair, lips sliding over each other, tongues being pushed through parting lips in brewing passion…

He'd reacted to her quickly… his hand on the small of her back pushing her perfect shaped breasts into him while his other hand laid on her hip, pulling her flush to his groin…

The action with the feel of his firm arousal made her moan delighted…

"Ahh…" she sighed, "Damon… I need you _so_ badly…" she whined grinding herself onto him seeking some sort of friction… He chuckled lustfully, she'd began to hike up her leg against his thigh, but he stopped her to unbutton her jeans pulling them and panties off, as she quickly unbuckled his… pushing them down his waist with hands and feet… _very_ appreciative of his lack of underwear…

"How badly…?" he growled against the sensitive skin of her neck as he licked and nibbled pleasurably… eyes darkening, veins protruding, and fangs elongating…

She allowed her tongue to glide over the base of his neck, nipping and pecking him lightly, then took his steeled member… holding him firmly as she began to pump while saying… "_Real_ bad…"

He'd graced his hand along her awaiting core and no more encouragement was necessary… she was so hot and wet that he let his hands trail over the nice curves of her ass, stopping right under them while squeezing lightly and picking her up onto the small wanna be sink of the tiny room…

He captured her lips in another world twisting kiss when he powerfully drove himself into her soaking nether lips. They groaned in unison…

"God… yes…" Elena panted from the delectable feel…

"Elena…" he grunted as he began to pull in and out… pushing and pulling, plunging fiercely and intensely, harder and harder… thrusts coming quicker and quicker…waves of pleasure rolling off their sweat covered bodies seeking relief.

"SO close…" she whimpered.

Damon brought one of her legs up for better penetration… one, two more strokes and Elena felt apart… fireworks behind her eyelids as she arched back in the all consuming pleasure, as he rode her out. Soon thereafter her hot heat dripping with juices… with her womanhood squeezing his thick throbbing member from watching her come apart as she exposed her neck… made his gums itch making him burst in pleasurable ecstasy… his burning seed shooting into her eagerly.

A moment later… sated and slumped against the other, Elena broke the silence…

"Just what I needed…" she grinned.

He smirked back, "Glad I could be of service…" and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

Damon hadn't liked that his demon seemed to come forth more often and that he was finding it more difficult to pull him back. He'd almost bit her today… and he didn't want to do that. Blood sharing was serious stuff and he didn't want to jump into it without talking to her about it first.

Elena noticed the pensive look on Damon's face and wondered what had him so serious all of a sudden. It was always brief, but it seemed to creep up on him during their intimate sessions. She wasn't going to push the topic now… but soon she would.

He noticed her staring so he kissed her once more picking up their clothes while saying, "Ready to head back out there?" teasingly.

"Yup…" Elena said proudly changing…

They made it back to their seats… a fresh glow all over them when they noticed Alaric give them a knowing look, then he shook his head disapprovingly. Meredith had fallen asleep on his shoulder so without waking her up he mouthed, "Do you two know the meaning of restraint?"

Elena blushed… and Damon chuckled, "No… but you're the teacher, maybe you can enlighten us…"

Ric rolled his eyes grinning facing back to the woman on him… There was a sudden ding as the Pilot began to announce the tightening of seatbelts as they were about to land. Elena grabbed Damon's hand, kissed him on the cheek then settled herself for their arrival to Italy.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hello TVD Fans... Sorry for the delay on this chapter, the muse worked rather slow this time. But you guys can change that by reviewing ;) I love reading every single one, they make my day :) So no smut in this one but I hope you guys enjoy it either way.**_

_**Thank you for reading and I beg of you to please review :) Happy reading!**_

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

Damon woke up to the retching sounds coming from the bathroom… he looked at the time, it was noon… and from the time change and flight. They had all agreed to take a day to sleep and adjust to the time change.

He got up and went to the bathroom door knocking lightly…

"Elena…" he said concerned, "are you okay?"

He heard her sniffle and then in a weak tone only a vampire would hear, she said, "I'm fine Damon, just go back to bed…"

"I'm not going to go back to bed, open the door please…" he said calmly.

"Uh… _no_…" she called.

Damon grumbled, "Elena… we need to catch up on our sleep to go on our search and if you're not feeling well then maybe I should take you to a doctor…"

Elena opened the door then, "Look… I'm okay, I'm fine… it was just probably all of that plane food I ate…"

He eyed her skeptically; then gave in, "Fine… come to bed then…"

"Give me a minute…" she told him, "Just want to brush my teeth…"

He then pulled her towards him and giving her a kiss on her forehead nodding, "If you're not in bed soon, I'm going to come and get you…"

"Fine…" she grinned and went back inside the bathroom.

Minutes later she was all tucked under Damon's side swiftly falling asleep. He stared at her a little frightened. He'd never had to deal with anyone being sick considering he was a vampire and he never got sick, so this… even as simple as it may be, kind of scared him. He tried to push the thoughts aside as unreasonable and went back to sleep.

/

Elijah was looking over some paper work in the study of his Spanish home when one of his maids knocked on the door lightly…

"My Lord Wiltshire…" she called softly…

"Come in Carmen…" Elijah told her…

"Sir Vega and Lady Santiago are waiting for you in the parlor…"

"Thank you, Carmen, I will tend to them…"

The maid curtsied and stepped out, just then Katherine came in…

"Wow… I'd nearly forgotten that the help you keep will still stick to protocol when addressing you…"

Elijah shrugged, "It's nice to know something's don't change…" she came around his desk wrapping her arms around his neck, "did you sleep well beloved?" he asked.

"More than well…" she said pulling him down for a kiss. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, he deepened the kiss with lustful need then pulled back… "As much as I'm loving where this is headed… we have company…"

Katherine pouted.

"But I will make it up to you after they leave…" he pressed his lips to hers again slightly nibbling her lower lip, then waited for her response.

"Okay fine…" she sighed, "but we should hurry then so they can be on their way…" she smirked devilishly.

Elijah smiled back and offered her his arm, "Right then, shall we…?"

She took his arm and headed to the parlor, the moment they stepped in the couple stood…

"My Lord Wiltshire…" they both acknowledged, "Your Ladyship Katerina…" Elijah shook their hands as did Katherine. Most of the respect towards them was in their title, but the rest of the customs had been most over looked at now.

Elijah gestured them to have a seat… as he began to explain enough of his current knowledge of his family and their search for his 'nephew.' They nodded in understanding and the witch and warlock asked for the day to do some snooping around while also trying some spells to try and find out anything on this.

The moment the couple was out of the house… Katherine sped to Elijah pressing herself against him while saying, "Now where were we…?"

/

Bonnie traced her fingers over the ancient rock that had come in an antique wooden box given to her by Lucy. She'd explained that she had no knowledge of a child being conceived by a human and an Original, to her knowledge, that wasn't even possible. She'd been able to share with her that they were descendants of two of the greatest covens that ever existed, but knew no history herself.

Bonnie's Gram's should have been the one to pass down the whole story of the family to her, but she'd died before she got that chance to. Lucy gave her the box and had told her she had never looked in it. Lucy had been instructed to keep the box safe and handed over to her cousin when the time was right.

She had wondered how she would know that, but the moment she had touched Bonnie… she knew the box was for her. So there she was… staring at an ancient squared rock with a Coat of Arms Crest with the word Bennett on it.

This told her nothing… but at least it seemed like a clue as to where to start. Her last name…

/

Meredith and Alaric were enjoying a nice breakfast at the terrace of the hotel's Café, talking about her immense discovery of all the supernatural when Damon and Elena joined them…

"Morning…" Elena said cheerily.

"Morning Elena…" Mer said, "How did you guys sleep?"

"Great, thank you…" Elena answered, as Damon forced a smile her way. He still felt odd about her.

"Ric…" Damon said taking a seat by him.

"Damon…" Alaric greeted, "you guys took a while…"

"We got busy…" Damon explained.

"Sheesh…" Ric said in realization.

"Damon!" Elena smacked him, "you don't say stuff like that in front of…" she eyed Meredith.

"It's quite alright…" Mer smiled, "keeps a relationship healthy…"

"And Active…" Damon added, gaining a glare from Elena. He shrugged and munched on the pastries on the table.

Elena placed an order for breakfast and an hour after them discussing Mystic Falls and other supernatural activity that really had nothing to do with their current search; Damon had a car rental company deliver them a car.

IF Stefan was at the Villa… that'd be the Salvatore Villa. Old property, that had been owned by the Original Salvatore family when all of them use to live in Italy. He was actually looking forward to being back there again… he'd stayed there for a couple of years when he wanted to find himself. Or at least while he decided the type of vampire that he wanted to be.

They were pulling in to the large estate, when Elena noticed the green around, could that be a vineyard?

"Wow it's beautiful here…?" Meredith voiced to the car.

"Your ancestors own this?" Ric asked mesmerized by the beauty.

Elena was speechless, but no more words were required with that the huge grin on her face…

"You like it…?" Damon asked reaching for Elena's hand.

"I love it…" she said turning to face him, squeezing his hand.

Somewhere in the middle of the path to the Villa, he stopped pulled off the road…

"Why are we stopping?"Alaric questioned.

"I gotta sneak in and find out if Stefan's here… if I drive further in he'll be able to hear us. That's assuming he's kept his animal diet, if he hasn't… I wouldn't be surprised if he heard the car already…"

Damon slipped out of his jacket and kissed Elena…

"Wait here… I'll call you in a bit when it's safe to drive closer…" Elena nodded and saw him disappear in a flash.

/

Stefan had been reading a book when he'd heard something or someone from a distance… he tried to focus on the sound but it had stopped. Nobody really knew if anyone was staying at the Villa, so he shouldn't be having any visitors…

Too soon as he was getting comfortable, he felt a presence. A familiar presence… if it weren't because he knew his brother was back at the States, he'd say it was him that was here…

There was whoosh of air and Damon and Stefan were at each other's throats…

"Damon?" Stefan asked strain fully confused, not letting go of his brother's neck.

"Stefan…" Damon croaked out. Damn… his brother had grip; he acknowledged, but why… had he made all the animals in Italy extinct or he was back on human blood. His gut told him, definitely human blood.

Though, he was pleasantly surprised… Damon still over powered him and brought him to his knees and pushed him off. He rubbed his neck…

"Damn…" Damon cleared his throat, "look who's been eating his spinach…"

Stefan got off the floor also trying to sooth his neck, "What are you doing here Damon?" he asked bothered, but then got worried, "Is something wrong with Elena…?"

Damon raised an eyebrow a little jealous, yes it was normal for his brother to still care, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"Of course not…" he said like if that thought was ridiculous, "she's with me, for god's sake…"

"So-rry…" Stefan raised his hands in mock surrender, "so if it's not for Elena then…"

Damon pulled out his phone dialing Elena's number… at her sudden hysterics, he tried to sooth her…

"Elena… yes, I'm fine…" he paused, "no Stefan hasn't lost it…" there was another pause, "yes I'm sure… I love _you_…" and hung up.

Stefan had heard the last of the conversation and though he'd made peace with her choosing his brother, it still stung.

"Sorry…" Damon told Stefan. He could be a jerk about this whole situation but Stefan had left town giving them space and that had been big of him; there was no need to not offer him the same respect.

His brother crossed his arms while saying, "You seem happy…"

Damon nodded a slight smirk on his lips, "Yeah… I am…" there was an awkward silence and then he said, "um… there's something you should know before Elena arrives…"

"Something tells me I'm not going to like what you're about to say…" Stefan said eyeing Damon nervously.

"You're not and since I'm not one to sugar coat anything… the issue we come to talk to you about, deals with a tie in to the Ripper… and Elena knows…"

Stefan visibly cringed, "But… how… I mean, I haven't, I wouldn't…" he shook his head desperately. He hadn't been that person and would never go back to that ever again… and then something clicked. "That's why you were sneaking around and didn't tell me you were coming…"

Damon shrugged, "We weren't sure what state we'd find you in…"

He nodded, "That sucks…"

Just when Damon was about to respond, there seemed to be a knock at the main door…

"I guess that'd be Elena?" Stefan asked.

"And Ric and Meredith…" Damon added heading to the door…

"Meredith?" Stefan questioned, "Who the hell is Meredith…?"

"Long story…" Damon yelled from a far.

Here goes nothing, Stefan thought, there was a reason he hadn't gone back to Mystic Falls yet. He just wasn't ready to witness the Damon/Elena relationship, but at least he had Natalia. He grinned; there was something really special about her that made his unbeating heart, feel almost human.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Hellos TVD fans... thank you for all the time you take to read my stories and for the Alerts, Faves adds, and everything... :) You guys are awesome. Sorry this chapter took longer than expected but I can tell you that the more you review, the faster updates will come, so REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW and I will love you forever... truly :) Anyway, not much smut since I gotta mold to the plot but hope you love anyway..._**

**_So, Happy Reading ^_^_**

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

Katherine felt a piercing gaze on her that made her smirk… as she laid still in their Spanish home bed.

"Why Elijah dear…" she teased, "what manners have you to stare at someone in their sleep…" she then opened her eyes, batting her lashes seductively at him.

He had his head propped up on one hand, his elbow to the bed as he stared at her with an adoring gaze… his lips turned in to a sweet smile…

His eyes after a moment went devious as he said… "Well then, shall I be punished for that…" he flashed her naked form to straddle him in their large bed.

She moaned at the feel of the evidence of his already firm arousal, right between her thighs…

"Perhaps…" she said breathy…

Elijah cupped her face in his hands to bring her close for a slow, yet very thorough kiss. He nudged her lips open as his tongue parted them the rest of the way, massaging it in slow circles that made him growl in satisfaction.

He pulled back to stare at her already flushed self as he whispered…

"I still can't believe we wasted so much time being apart…" a hint of sadness in his captivating eyes.

Katherine ran a finger over his swollen kissed lips as she breathed heavily answering, "that doesn't matter anymore… we have the rest of eternity to make it up…"

A strong devotion filled his eyes as she set herself in place… she reached between their awaiting bodies, to grasp at his hard member, allowing him to fill her completely…

They both groaned from the delectable feel… the last thing she saw before her eyes closed shut in utter pleasure, were his amorous ones… as his hands snapped to her hips, to help her ride him to joyful rupture…

/

Sitting in the large receiving room of the Old Salvatore Villa… Ric, Damon and Elena explained to Stefan the happenings since Elijah's return in his search for his family. They shared with him the story from the Petrova Diary as Klaus' lover, to their apparently conceived son…

Stefan paced about the room trying to process all this new information. Not too long ago his biggest problem was figuring out who he wanted to be, and now he was confronted with the problem of who he was expected to be…

"So let me get this straight…" he thought, "Klaus had a son with an old ancestor of Elena's whose mother kept _this_ information from him AND promised to find _me_… the ex-ripper," he said that is a low voice, "to be his successor should anything happen to him…?"

Ric and Elena nodded as Damon said…

"Yup… that's the gist of it…" Damon said grabbing a bottle of wine and five glasses, "you… my little brother, get to become the psycho path's successor…"

He continued to the small mini bar as he pulled out the wine opener to get glasses served.

"I…" Elena began, "I think it's safe to assume she's probably dead…" she fidgeted a bit, since this was the first time she'd seen him since her almost death and her staying with his brother.

"How's that…?" Stefan questioned.

"Well…" Ric began, "there was no mention in the diary of her turning, and if she did truly love him as much as it seems… she would have appeared when heard news of his death were out. At least that's why we think…"

"Okay…" Stefan nodded now stopping to have a seat, "but this was centuries ago. I mean, how can we be sure that I am or will be sought out…?"

"In all honesty…" Damon handed a glass a wine to him, "I thought you'd be the all evil right now…" he then walked around handing a glass to Elena and then to Ric…

One smell into the wine glass as she was about to take a sip and she scrunched up her nose… she mentally gagged, why was her stomach turning? She set the glass down.

"Yeah, thank you for that…" Stefan answered not pleased of the reminder that they hadn't trusted him to remain good.

"Guys…" Ric interrupted all too aware that his recent female companion wasn't by his side, "Where'd Meredith go?"

"She's freshening up Ric…" Elena filled in, a bit amused at his awareness of her. It was good though, she had actually thought that he may not have come back from her aunt's death, but that didn't seem to be the case and in a way… she was grateful for that. That thought though, still saddened her, so she tried to push it away.

"Speaking of… who _is_ she? Why is she here? Have things changed that much since I left…?" Stefan questioned.

"No…" Damon sighed, sipping from his wine, "we went in search for information to Duke expecting to find Vanessa, but found _her_ instead. She's a specialist on this Supernatural life and we figured she might be of help…" he tried to shrug off like it was no big deal.

"And by that he means, Elena told him to…" Ric voiced in a teasing tone.

Stefan chuckled, though behind the laugh he hid his discomfort since he remembered the feeling all too well of not being able to tell her no. Ric laughed and Elena couldn't help but smile…

Damon glared at them, "I _can_ still get rid of her you know…" he threatened at Ric, "and I don't mean putting her on a plane back home…"

"Oh come on…" Ric joked standing to place a hand on his friends' shoulder, "we're just messin, it's nice to see fluffy Damon…"

Damon growled and made a go at Ric when Elena stopped him; "Hey…" she smiled hugging him by the waist, "why don't we talk about what my fluffy Damon has planned for me for dinner…"

He glowered playfully at her while bringing her face up to his… "You're gonna pay for that…"

Elena tried to close the distance between them in a kiss but then he was just gone… she pouted, damn vampire speed…

Ric grabbed the bottle of wine off of the mini bar and refilled Stefan's glass…

"How you holding up…?" he asked sincerely. He could see the look faint pain on the younger brother's face.

Stefan drank from his newly filled glass and nodded at the teacher… "Just fine…" he said softly.

Well that wasn't true, but what else could you do. Though he could use the one person that made that ache inside him disappear. Alaric was about to pry when Meredith made her presence known…

"Sorry about my rudeness there…" she walked in, "so much traveling had me feeling like I needed to wash that off of my body… but anyway, what'd I miss…?"

"Plans for dinner…" Elena said, "Any thoughts…?"

"We should have some…" she smiled at Ric warmly and they all laughed as Damon came back from searching for a place to go have dinner. Elena couldn't wait… even with the big breakfast she'd had, she felt like she could eat for an army all on her own. So she was definitely looking forward to having some Italian food.

/

Elijah invited his associates back to the study of his elegant home, where Katherine was already waiting…

"Thank you Sir Vega…" he ushered them inside, "Lady Santiago…"

They seemed awfully quiet compared to the last time they were here and he didn't like that that could very much be a bad sign.

"Your Ladyship…" they bowed at the sight of Katherine… she inclined her head forward accepting their greeting while taking a seat.

Elijah came around the huge old fashioned desk of the home like office as he spoke…

"I will take you silence as a sign that you did indeed find something…" he questioned waiting for them to divulge information.

The woman nodded in approval and the man sighed… "We did my Lord…" he paused for a moment…

Katherine exasperated a bit, pushed… "Well on with it…"

"Katerina…" Elijah said firmly, and she crossed her arms unhappy.

"I apologize…" Sir Vega said, "we figured the fastest way to finding your… nephew… would be through magic, but he must have some strong magical friends hiding him because that didn't work, and trust me… we resorted to every single trick we know…"

Lady Santiago spoke then, when Sir Vega gave her a look to continue… "and that's when we began using all of our connections… so after some asking around, we heard that… that a mysterious guy arrived into Bulgaria on short business. As much as we pressured for information, no one knows what that business is."

The man pulled a paper from inside his suit jacket and handed it over… "He registered under the name of K. Nate Wilson, but after digging around we were able to confirm his full complete name as Keddrick Nathel Wilson… Pierce…" he allowed the information to sink in.

Katherine stiffened a bit to the last name… that's the name she had used to disguise hers once upon a time. Elijah had gone rigid to hear the truth… though he knew that all they actually knew was that this young man fitted what they were looking for. He somehow had a feeling that this… was it, and that this young man, was 90% for sure his nephew.

"In the back of that card you will find the address of the home he's staying at… I hope…" he hesitated, "that you find what you're looking for…"

The last of that comment snapped Elijah out of his thoughts and he looked up to the couple, a blank facial expression filling his face…

"Thank you for your services…" he stood, "Sir… My Lady…" he walked around the large desk escorting them out, "I shall call on you if I need anything else…"

They both bowed their goodbye and left quietly… Katherine was scared to touch the sore subject of the reminder of Klaus' betrayal but knew she had to ask.

"So…" she said tentatively, "what happens now…?"

He turned to give her a quiet smile and said, "Get Carmen to get another one of the maids to get us packed. We leave tonight into Bulgaria…"

Katherine felt tightness in her chest… she knew they may need to go back there, but she was not looking forward to it and there was a reason for that. Too many reminders of her family being slaughtered…

As if reading her mind, Elijah approached her taking her in an embrace, while kissing her delicately on the lips… "Everything will be alright… I promise…"

She gave him a weak smile as she nodded, "I'll call Carmen to get us ready to go…" and with that, he watched his insecure love, go…

/

After arranging to have dinner at a small little bistro near the Salvatore House… they had all gotten adequately dressed for a nice, friendly dinner. It wasn't fancy, but it wasn't casual either. Knowing that the deeper they researched the harder it would get to enjoy the romantic location they were at, they were trying to make the most of it…

Damon had scanned over his messages to discover that Bonnie had gotten a piece of information that seemed crucial, Elijah had messaged him as well that after some research, they were following a lead to Bulgaria, and in turn… he had explained that they'd found Stefan, in a normal brooding state, but still needed to do some digging.

This was the extent of their improvement, which was much more than they had originally started with. Now… Damon's biggest apprehension led to the fact that Stefan had told them that he would meet them there at the bistro… as he apparently invited a 'friend' to join them for dinner.

Someone by the name of Natalia Radoslav… and though he wanted to be happy for his brother, because that would mean he's over Elena, something about the name caused him unease. Why was that? He wasn't sure but he knew that provably soon… he'd find out…

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><p><em><strong>Don't forget to Review... xoxo<strong>_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hello, hello :) Sorry for the delay but I've jumbling my thoughts all over the place and I needed to make sure the chapter flowed. Anyway... no smut :( in this one but promise I'll try to treat you in the next one :D This is more a filler chapter but I hope you enjoy it just the same. Thank you for reading... You guys are awesome, but I will ADORE you all more if you REVIEW...**_

_**So please DO...**_

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><p>Chapter 9<p>

The Sun had just begun to set when the four of them arrived at the small Bistro near the Salvatore Villa. Ric, Meredith and Elena had been chatting the way there enjoying what they could see of the sites as Damon drove… his thoughts all consumed by this Radoslav Last name.

Why the hell did that ring a bell? Had he read it somewhere, heard it somewhere, maybe he killed someone with that last name…? Not that he made it a habit of getting to know his victims in the past, but UHG!, that was going to bug him…

"Is this it…?" Elena asked when he pulled up to a restaurant but made no move to get out.

"Huh?" he'd completely missed that…

"The restaurant Damon…" she gestured to the building he'd parked near of.

"Oh right… yes, we're here…" he stepped out of the tiny car walking over at a human pace to open Elena's door.

Meredith and Ric had stared at each other questioningly… Damon just seemed so distracted since leaving the house.

What could be going on in the evil little head of his, Ric wondered… and truth be told… Meredith had also been a bit in her thoughts.

Tonight, when they got back to the Villa she was going to go through her online files for that last name. It stuck a cord somehow… she knew she'd read it somewhere and that IT meant something or was part of something important, but it had been too long for her to recall that fact instantly.

In the meantime… Alaric was being too attentive and though she liked him she wasn't the type of woman he seemed to want and by that she meant the kind that you married and had children with. She'd been in the research field a while and you didn't get the kind of information she had by just reading what was already there… her successful career was based on researching and digging under the smallest lead meaning… that occasionally she'd been in danger sometimes close to death and she was sure that that was something he would probably not be okay with…

"Salvatore, table for six…" Damon had spoken to the host in Italian, and if it was even possible… Elena just fell in love with him more. You had to love a man with an accent…

Elena reached for Damon's hand as the host grabbed some menus, Damon giving her a loving stare as his lips turned into a soft smile. He pulled her hand up to his lips in a peck, brought it up as if he intended to spin her, but without letting go of their entwined fingers… he just passed his arm over her head bring her into an embrace…

It was such a treat for her to see this side of him and she treasured every moment of it… The young man gestured he was ready to lead them to the table and they all followed behind… Damon walked in step with her still hugging her in front of him by the waist.

Ric took the opportunity of the romantic ambience of the Bistro to place his hand in the small of Meredith's back… making it very clear to her now that he was interested in something other than just friendship.

They had just taken their seats when Stefan arrived hand in hand with a young very beautiful woman… she had cream colored skin, a rich copper colored, shoulder length hair that she had left down in soft waves. Simple knee length dress like the ones Meredith and Elena had chosen to wear and the most genuine smile on her face as the table glanced at them arrive…

Stefan grinned at them while facing his date, "Guys… I would like to introduce to you Natalia Radoslav…"

She stepped forward to take their hands as they stood to say hello… "It's such a pleasure to meet you all…" she said warmly, "I've heard so many things about you…"

When she got to Meredith though… she paused, "Except you… you don't seem…" she left her sentence hang…

"No…" Mer said, "I'm kind of an intruder to the group… Meredith Sulez…" she said introducing herself.

Alaric was glad Stefan seemed happy with her presence considering his first impression of him with Elena earlier. Damon noticed the kind girl and that made him happy for his brother… unfortunately seeing her brought no ease to his mind which was quite annoying since he'd been hoping that seeing her would make something make sense.

"So glad you could join us…" Elena grinned, "Well have a seat…" she encouraged both of them to the empty seats. She had thought that this might be a little awkward since he was her EX but if anything… she got the vibe from this girl that she got when she was around family… a very comfortable kind of vibe.

Their server decided to approach the group then and began asking for drink preferences… luckily he spoke English, with an accent of course, but it was very cute. They had all settled for ordering wine except for Elena… Damon had questioned her as to why, but she'd just told him that her stomach seemed sensitive these days, so she'd skip it tonight.

Damon didn't think anything of it though she _did_ seem different… _good_ different but just… different. Pushing that thought aside as they all made friendly conversation… he hoped that some of that discussion… brought forth a hint as to why Natalia, sounded familiar to him.

/

The arrival to Bulgaria had been a swift one and Katherine had but said a word since they had left the Spanish home. She'd been happy that they'd arrived to meet Elijah's associates in Spain and had not gone directly to Bulgaria though she'd known the trip was coming… but she just couldn't be happy about it…

Elijah offered her his hand after opening her door as they'd arrived to the home they'd be staying at in Bulgaria. The look of sadness in her face was making Elijah regret his decision to bring her a long with him.

He hadn't thought her being back would be such a big deal, but her anguished face, her silence and even her now rigid form at her taking his hand was making him remorseful of it. He made himself a promise then… he was either going to turn the bad karma of this place around for her or he was going to take care of business in haste so he could get them out of there and see that bright smile on her face again…

"Katerina…" he said quietly leading her in the home, "Are you…"

"I'm fine…" she interrupted giving him a quiet smile that didn't reach her eyes… Seeing that he was expecting more of an answer she added, "I'm just tired… is it okay if I just retire to our room…?"

"Welcome My Lord, Your Ladyship…" the nicely dressed butler interrupted them greeting them at the door. Kat had smiled politely and Elijah just nodded his head as they walked past him.

"Of course darling…" he grinned squeezing her hand in gesture that he was _there_ with and _for_ her, but she seemed oblivious to it as they made their way inside yet another luxurious home. He opened the door to the bedroom they'd be occupying and made sure she had everything she needed… after getting her settled, he went back to the entrance making sure the staff knew what to do during their stay there.

Seeing as Katherine seemed not to want to be disturbed he considered going to the address of this man, alone. Though maybe he'd find a suitable victim for Katherine to have… she didn't really like blood bags so if that would cheer her up… he'd go out and compel a human for her… in fact that sounded like a brilliant idea… he was going to go out and hunt for her…

/

Jeremy had accompanied Bonnie to her grandmother's house to look through her books see if she found anything about their ancestors or past… She'd already done research on her Coat of Arms of Bennett, but nothing out of the norm had come up. Historical information, some assumptions about Salem and supposedly witchcraft stuff she'd seen but all based into what the world thought was fiction.

She began tossing things over her shoulder frustrated… papers, books… until one hit Jer…

"Hey!" he ducked when another seemed to fly his way, "crazy woman… you're not going to get anywhere all flustered like that…"

She turn to glare, "You're not helping…" she turned back cursing under her breath… her grandmother must have _something_ relevant to _this_… and then… like if someone had thrown at her iced water, she froze.

Gram's had left her a letter in her will that she had not opened because reading her 'most likely good bye letter'… would have made her death completely real and she hadn't been ready for that, but what if what she need to know was in there.

"Bonnie!" Jer was holding her by the arms taken by her frozen state, "are you… okay? I mean… It seemed like…"

"Like I just remembered something?" she gazed into his wondering eyes, "it's because I did… let's go home…"

He nodded not really understanding her or what was going through her mind, he shrugged, part of her charm he thought.

/

In the middle of dessert Stefan began questioning Damon and the group about what there next step should be now that he was on board with all the happenings. He wanted to help and he'd missed his brother and friends anyway… maybe this was just a sign that he needed to take that step to finally and definitely move forward…

Damon glared warningly at Stefan sending a vibe that Stefan would recognize that he felt uncomfortable talking about their personal business in front of someone… Natalia, when he knew nothing about her except for the small polite talk they'd had during dinner.

Stefan glared back sending a wave of power then his gaze falling on Meredith…

After a few moments of deliberation on whether bringing this many outsiders to their already crowded supernatural world was a bright idea. The reason the supernatural had been kept secret for so long was because only they themselves were aware of each other. Every time they brought in a human into this… was an added uncertain leak that could go wrong at any moment.

Stefan changed his approach to his brother to a pleading one until he sighed disapprovingly sharing _minimal_ information as to what he had in mind. He wasn't just going to spill his guts to these two women until they proved themselves worthy of that trust.

Everyone else oblivious to their internal argument… Damon finally began telling Rick about some people in town that he had arranged to meet with and the detail about Elijah heading to Bulgaria in search of a Mr. Wilson Pierce…

"Pierce…?" Elena asked voicing what they were all thinking, "as in Katherine Pierce…?"

"Not sure…" Damon answered, "Maybe…"

At this, Natalia's head snapped to the brothers in realization… Stefan caught her reaction as did Damon but waited till Stefan questioned her trying not to be rude.

"What is it Natalia…?" Stefan asked as they all stared at her.

"I just… I think…" she was trying to remember, "No… I'm probably just confusing the young man…"

"What man…?" Damon prodded.

Natalia looked from Damon's anxious eyes to Stefan's patient ones… he smiled sweetly at her while whispering, "Tell us…"

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><p><strong><em>Don't forget to review, review... ;)<em>**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Thank you to all of you who read my story :) You guys are awesome. I think you guys have figure out that it is a bit AU though I'm still keeping to the main goal. I'll try to squeeze some smuttiness in the next chapter, just needing to set up for plot. Anyway, so in case you guys don't know, on my profile page I started to put the dates I plan to update all my stories... so you guys aren't wondering :)**_

_**Okay, hope you're liking the story... and please review! I appreciate your comments greatly and they mean the world to me :) Okay EnJoy!**_

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><p>Chapter 10<p>

"It… um…" she paused shifting on her seat, "it happened before you arrived like he _knew_ you were going to be there. He had said that he was a friend and that he needed to speak to Mr. Stefan Salvatore… I ended up telling him that my family and I took care of the house but that no Salvatore had lived in it in years…"

"Wow…" Mer voiced, could it had been…?

"So…?" Ric urged.

"And…?" Elena waited impatiently.

"All he said was that he'd be back and left a letter addressed to you…" she faced Stefan apologetically, "this was weeks before you showed and I just filed it away, but I remembered seeing the envelope addressed from a K.N. Wilson Pierce and when he showed up he'd said his name was Nate… I'm so sorry, I should have…"

"What did he look like…?" Damon quickly jumped in.

"He um…" she was still looking at Stefan as he seemed to be in thought, it scared her that she could not tell what he was thinking or feeling… would he fire her family? They'd kept the home livable for as long as she could remember, "He looked young but with strong defined features… he had a dusty blondish brown hair and clear light green eyes. He came across as youthful though his eyes seemed full of wisdom. I remember thinking I should have feared him and yet… his gaze had been warm and friendly…"

"It sounds like Klaus' son…" Alaric decided, "Who else could it be…?"

"We don't know that…?" Damon said though he'd come to the same assumption, "Do you still have this envelope he left for him…?" he turned to ask Natalia.

"I um… I do…" she said quietly, "I completely forgot if I had known this was so urgent, perhaps I would have…"

"Don't worry…" Stefan finally said a word, "none of us knew of this but we should go home and find out what's inside… it could be what or who we're looking for…"

"I'll call for the check…" Meredith voiced.

Damon nodded smirking at Elena as he knew that she could read him like no one else… he knew that she knew there was something else going on in his head that he wasn't going to be sharing with the table. Which was fine as long as he always confided in her.

/

Bonnie had tears in her eyes after reading the teary eyed letter that her grandmother had left for her… she'd told her that she loved her. To always remember that she was special and to not be afraid of her power because that would close her heart to the possibilities of greatness that she had in her. She also told her… that a family member would be giving her a piece of treasure that had been passed down by the Bennett's throughout centuries of time…

Her Grams had been very vague about the information but she'd been able to make out this much… The Bennett witches had been part of two most powerful covens that had ever existed. The name of the other coven was Putnam… which apparently hadn't been heard of after the rift that had come between the Eight House Dynasty Families… many moons ago…

Because such information had been completely lost through the years… Bonnie's family had made it their mission to try and discover what was behind these families fall out and who they were. There had been peace between these families and an understanding as they shared a secret of the supernatural, but something had changed and a war had started. Grams had left her a key to a bank deposit box… in which she had found proof of the two more last names that belonged to the Dynasty Familes… no surprise there it had been the DeLocwode's and the Salvadorezs'.

There was a knock on the door, starling out of her thoughts… she went opening the door to reveal Jeremy, Caroline, and Tyler…

"Did you find what I asked you for…?" Bonnie directed her question at Tyler…

"Yeah, I got it… but how did you know…?" he pulled out a wooden box handing it over to her…

They all went inside the house as Bonnie pulled her Coat of Arms out… she placed it on the floor.

"What's all this Bonnie…?" Jeremy asked…

"What is this suppose to tell us…?" Caroline questioned equally confused.

"Shhh…" Bonnie shushed them, "I'm trying to see if this is right…" she opened the box that Tyler had brought and inside she found a matching squared looking rock that had the Coat of Arms for deLocwode…

The three friends eyed Bonnie speculative… Bonnie grabbed a paper that had a drawing of how Eight of these rocks came together. If completed, it should look like an eight row, two column rock chart.

"There…" Bonnie said putting the chart in the middle of the two rocks…

"There what…?" Caroline looked at the paper…

"Yeah, this doesn't make any sense…" Tyler agreed.

"At all…" Jeremy glanced at Bonnie.

"_We_… need to find out who the other four Coat of Arms and the stories behind it…" she pointed to the graph, "we have two Coats of Arms, we know Four Family Dynasty Names, we need to figure out the rest…"

She looked through the papers she'd found in the bank deposit box, "According to Grams, the family has a theory of these families… it was made up by the most powerful families of their Kind… there was Two Vampire Families, Two Werewolf Familes, Two Witch Families, and Two Human Familes… in total eight… making them the eight most powerful families of their kind until something tore them apart…"

"What?" Jeremy asked…

"I don't know… but that's what we need to find out…" Bonnie said, "I'll call Elena and tell her what we found. Something tells me that all of this comes hand in hand with Elijah's family's issues…"

"Okay then…" Caroline said, "I guess into more research mode…"

/

_Dear Mr. Stefan Salvatore…_ Stefan read…

_You don't know me and I know you have never heard of me. You should just know that you should consider me a friend. I am a friend of a friend that has some urgent business to discuss with you. It is imperative that we meet._

_I know that you may want to find out who I am but I pray of you to just come find me and I will explain fully. We have more in common than you think. I will be staying at The Elizabethean Castle in Bulgaria. I will wait for a small amount of time before I come to find you again._

_Know that I am not an enemy, but merely a messenger._

_Sincerely,_

_K. Nate Wilson Pierce_

Natalia eyes them all nervously as the mulled over what Stefan had just read. This was it… he was it. There was no denying it. Klaus and Kate Elizabethea had given birth to a child that was still alive and following through what his mother had promised.

Damon shook his head trying to process this… this was becoming more tangled than he ever thought possible. All they wanted to know was where Elijah's family was buried for heaven's sake… couldn't they just find out where and be done with it. What the hell were they getting themselves into?

"I guess cancelling appointments should be the first thing to take care of…" Ric voiced, "we won't be needing them if we have found what we have been looking for…"

"But even assuming that he is… well who we need… how will we know for sure…?" Stefan questioned.

"We're going to have to ask him that… obviously…" Elena spoke.

"Or we ask someone here…" Meredith put in, "there has to be someone here… or there that will know much more history than any of us could ask for… I do research for a living and you can find information in the least place expected…"

Natalia walked to Stefan's side while gazing at the group, "You mean like some 98 year old woman that has been telling me stories for ages and all I thought of her was that she was senile…?"

"What are you talking about…?" Damon asked…

"Nati…" Stefan glanced at her with searching eyes…

"We should go talk to my grandmother… I'm sure she will have the answers you are looking for…" she sighed looking into Stefan's eyes, "I had never believed anything she'd said until you told me what you were…" she caressed his face lovingly.

Stefan's lips curved into a smile as he pressed his palm over her small one on his cheek, then he closed the distance between them and kissed her lightly massaging her lips with his making her moan unconsciously until Ric cleared his throat loudly…

Natalia and Stefan smiled to each other and then he turned to the group, "Sorry…" he said, "shall we go?" he questioned his brother, "I mean, if it's not too late…" he asked Natalia taking her in a hug.

"No… she says she loves the hour of twilight… and she'll be more than thrilled to have company…" she answered.

Damon shrugged saying, "Why not… what do we have to lose…?"

Elena yawned, "Hmmm… think we'll be long…?" she asked, "I'm starting to feel like a baby… I eat and I want to go to bed, I eat and just want to go to bed, it's tiring believe it or not…"

They all laughed… "We can do it tomorrow…" Damon offered picking her up bridal style in his arms…

She laughed, "No… let's go and get this out of the way. And who knows… maybe we do find out something we don't know…"

They all nodded and made their way back in two cars towards Natalia's home…

/

The elder woman that could barely move came to greet them all at the door when she heard them pull up. Stefan and Natalia were the first to walk in, and then Stefan introduced Alaric and Meredith, and then his brother and Elena. Rosario Radoslav, sweet old woman hugged all of them like they were family giving them kisses on the cheek…

They sat in the small but very homey living room of this woman's home… you could tell it lighted up her face to have company. Natalia had just set down some king of peach flavored tea when Elena jumped up…

"I'm sorry, where's the bathroom…?" she said putting her palm to her lips.

"I'll show you…" Natalia said directing her deeper into the house.

The rest of them looked after the two girls shocked and Damon stood to make sure she was okay… but it was when the Rosario stopped him putting a hand on his wrist…

"She'll be fine," she smiled tenderly at him… "Must be your first…"

"My first what…?" Damon looked down at her confused…

"_Tuo primo bambino…"_ the elder woman said…

Damon's eyes got bigger than anything Stefan had ever seen before, in fact, it was an expression that he'd never seen cross his brother's face. He was utterly shocked and speechless…

Stefan understood what she had told him… which was completely impossible.

"What…?" Ric asked.

"What she say…?" Meredith added.

"My… my…" Damon tried to speak, "my first child? That's ridiculous… vampires can't… I can't… she can't…"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Wow, so yeah... took longer than expected but I am VERY pleased with the results. I hope you guys are too and that you PLEASE (with a cherry on top) REVIEW... I want to hear all your thoughts, good or bad, just tell me :)**_

_**Okay, well without keeping you from reading anymore ^_^ Enjoy!*!*!**_

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><p>Chapter 11<p>

"Be pregnant…?" Elena said passing a wash cloth over her mouth as she stared at one astonished Damon Salvatore.

Damon was trying to process the possibility… but that was just IT! It was _impossible_… well not true, he reasoned, with all the supernatural in their lives he had been damn sure that there was nothing else in the world that could ever surprise him… but _him_… being a father was… was… well ridiculous…

**IF** Elena was in fact pregnant then the child she was carrying couldn't be his, could it? But then how had this lady known… but wasn't she senile!

_STOP_! He told himself… Elena… was _pregnant_. He allowed that thought to fill his mind and spread through his body… and he swore he felt his dead heart jump, a little mini version of him or a cutie carbon copy of the only woman he'd ever loved. _WOW_! Scary… it was a good thing he was an evil vampire, then he could possibly eat any male that so much as looked in his little girl's direction… Oh _God_ this was a going to be a _nightmare_… and he had thought that his evil days were over.

Elena had come back then catching that older woman's revelation and Damon's trying to grasp the concept, but now that she thought about it… there was nothing else that could explain how she'd been feeling lately. Sleepy, tired, cranky, hungry, aroused to the point she thought she'd _lost_ her mind and in all her craze… she hadn't even realized that at least a month had gone by without a certain little gift that visited freaking monthly like clockwork missing…

She smiled… a baby… not just a baby _Damon's_ baby… she looked up to meet his eyes and what she saw there… broke her; and not in a good way…

Tears filled her eyes… "You're doubting me?" she let out strainfully. _Ah_ the horrible perks of knowing someone too well. So, she ran… tears freely running down her cheeks. Who the hell did he think this baby was from…_ a vampire stork?_ Someone, that wasn't _him_, seriously? Is that the kind of relationship they had…? The kind that they doubted each other…

"_Damon_…" Meredith followed Elena shaking her head in disapproval…

Natalia followed the girls into the house as the men chastisised Damon for even thinking of the possibility of doubting her…

"Damon?" Stefan called appalled.

"Tell me that you weren't that stupid to look at her like…." Ric had started but Damon cut him off…

"Like what RIC! Like there could be no fucken way that she could be expecting my child being that I AM a VAMPIRE…" Sheesh! the last time he remembered worrying about birth control was… well, never! Well not really… he was human after all but he in no way did the deed in there…

He glanced at Rosario, "Excuse my language ma'am, I didn't mean to disrespect…"

"It's quite alright my boy…" she grinned standing to go up to him… she stoop before him, cupping his face in her hands while saying… "But it's not impossible sweetheart… this has been the gift and curse of all our families…"

"Which families…?" Damon asked… what was she talking about?

"I will tell you the entire story but first… my boy," she led him to the hall leading to the bedrooms, "you have to make things okay with the woman carrying your child…"

He looked back at Ric and Stefan who had the same shocked look that he had had at the news, but aside from that… there was… happiness. They seemed genuinely happy about this new development. He nodded at the elder woman… following the slow sniffs coming from down the hall…

Elena noticed him coming, so she got off the bed wiping her tears as she locked herself in the bathroom calling from there…

"Could you guys tell Damon that I don't want to see him…?"

The girls looked up at him, Natalia apologetic and Meredith with a look that said 'if I really knew you' I'd kick your ass right about now.

Damon mouthed the word please to them to have a moment alone with her… reluctantly, they both agreed.

/

Elena sat on top of the toilet seat fiddling with tissue as she'd thought about what Damon could be thinking right now. She wasn't by any means unreasonable so she understood that aside from this being unexpected, she didn't really know how normal this pregnancy would be; but was it too much to ask for a little excitement before he began freaking out about the how, when, and why?

She knew he was out there probably trying to figure out how to make things better and she wasn't going to be difficult, but his visual accusation _had_ been kind of mean.

"Elena…" Damon called through the closed door. Hearing her sniffle as she continued to cry… "I'm sorry…" he pleaded, and he was… he had been just so shocked there had been no words…

There was no response from her…

"Baby… I didn't mean to doubt… I mean, I didn't _really_ doubt you… I was just trying to process how this can be truly happening to us…"

Still no answer came…

"I love you Elena…" he sighed, he'd been sitting on the bed facing the closed door with his fingers interlocked but as if desperate to make things better… he got up and leaned his forehead against it. "I need to know that you understand a _little_ where I'm coming from. Children were never something I ever thought would be in my future…"

He heard her moving around in the bathroom, he wanted so badly to break through the door, but he respected her too much to do that. He at least felt her closer though… like if she was now leaning against the door from the other side as well… Damon knew that he was going to have to come up with something big to make her forgive him, so thinking about it for a moment. He reached in his wallet taking out a very old flimsy painted picture… of him and his mother when he'd been about 2 or 3 years old.

Damon slipped the picture under the door and said… "This is me and my mother…" he glanced at the picture half sticking out, being taken… "Her name was Madeline…" his voice got quiet but filled with love and pain, "she wanted grandkids you know…"

Elena picked up the picture and stared at the most beautiful boy that she had ever seen sitting in the arms of his mother happily smiling … Even in childhood Damon had been a very charming baby, and even though the photo was faded from color, you could still make out how much him and his mother had looked alike. Same striking beauty… same prominent eyes… gorgeous curly hair, and a smile that could melt you in place…

Her heart clenched for him… how hard might it have been for him to lose his mother? All she knew was that _very_… she had tried to ask him about his life then but he always avoided the subject or brushed it off. Eventually Elena had just stopped asking all together, so she knew that the only reason he was opening up now was because he knew he'd messed up.

At hearing still nothing but hearing her heart rate elevate… he continued, "She would have loved you…" he smiled at the memory of his mother, "she would have kicked my ass if she'd ever find out how I first treated you…"

"Good to know…" Elena said in approval just above a whisper, but Damon had been able to make out the words.

Going for broke with the woman he loved, he said, "I'm scared…" he finally admitted. Something he would probably never tell anyone but her.

"Of what…?" she asked surprised by the revelation.

"Of what this could mean for you…" he paused, "how normal can a child from you and me be…? I don't… I don't want _you_ to hurt or the baby to hurt… or…" wow… he _had_ given this whole thing a lot more thought than he thought.

The door startled him open then… electric blue concerned eyes looking into chocolate teary ones.

"We're going to be fine…" Elena said getting close to him and putting a hand on his cheek to caress it, "I can feel it…"

"But…" Damon began knowing that there was more worry where that first thought had come from, but Elena stopped him from talking by placing a finger on his lips.

"I forgive you by the way…" she smiled slowly placing the small picture back in his hand, "I know you just acted on panic…" she shrugged, "quite normal I guess but it still sucked…"

"I know… and I'm sorry for that…" Damon then pulled her body to his… brushing his lips ever so lightly to hers in a caress, before putting passionate pressure on her full lips…

He'd been about to thoroughly kiss her when Ric said from the door calling to the other room… "Pfft… they're _fine_…" he grinned, "there one step away from doing the indecent thing in somebody else's home…"

Elena couldn't help but to start laughing as Damon turned around to glare at his friend…

"Thank you for the interruption Ric…" he returned playfully angry.

"Anytime…" Ric said crossing his arms, "so can you guys join us now so we can hear what Rosario has to say…?"

Elena nodded and began to make her way back… when Damon spun her back into him pressing his forehead to hers while asking softly, "Are we okay…?"

"We are…" Elena smiled genuinely, "But we're nowhere close to done talking…" she warned.

"Fair enough…" he said with that cocky little smirk as they made their way back.

/

"How you feeling sweetie…?" Rosario asked the moment they walked back in… "I have very many homemade remedies for that morning sickness…"

"Better, thank you…" Elena answered, "and I would appreciate that. Aside from that, I guess shocked and excited would about cover it too…" I mean heck… I'm expecting a vampire's child and that is a little bit scary because how could she know what to expect. Damon had had a point. And that's when she noticed Damon giving her a look of 'see… I'm not the only one that's concerned.'

"I bet…" Meredith said, "But how exciting at the same time… I don't think I have ever heard of this happening before…" she analyzed, "a vampire and a human conceiving…"

"Oh it has my dears…" Rosario said, "It is why we are where we are…"

"Grandma…?" Natalia asked, like seriously… how much could her grandmother be hiding, she thought placing herself near Stefan.

"So, do you mean to say that because of Klaus's son…?" Stefan questioned what they all wanted to know.

"Oh he's one of them…" she smiled at them, "But he's not the only one…"

"Well, tell us…" Damon requested a little frustrated. If she knew something couldn't she just say it?

/

The last couple of days hadn't gone as planned seeing as every lead that they had found would end up a dead end. But one thing that the four of them had been able to put together was that if they wanted factual more in depth research possibilities… they were going to have to be traveling, to Bulgaria… they needed to head to.

"Ugh…" Caroline huffed, "Well if one of them would answer their handy dandy cell phones, we would be able to tell them what we know so far…"

"Maybe they're busy…" Tyler told her.

"Maybe they're in danger…" Jeremy voice a little worried, since he'd been unsuccessful reaching his sister. Elena never not answered and even when she didn't… she'd texted that she'd call him in a minute or a while or something…

"No…" Bonnie said definitely, "I would have felt it…"

"How?" The three of them asked staring at her like she couldn't possibly know that.

Bonnie chuckled, "I just know… I uh… I kind of have a way now to feel if any people that I care about are in danger…"

"But how can that…?" Jeremy questioned.

"It's just something that I learned okay…?" Bonnie cut him off, "now let's give them the day and we'll try to reach them again tomorrow…"

/

The bed was shaking under them as Elijah plunged powerfully into Katherine's dripping folds… legs tightly wrapped around his male torso as sweaty skin slid on top of the other…

"_Omph_…" Katherine moaned as she flashed to ride him taking control, impaling herself leisurely onto his rigid shaft…

"_Katerina_…" he groaned as he felt his member jerk with anticipation…

"_Bite me_…" she hotly demanded in the burning need of the moment… muscles were already pulsating around him ready to burst…

Elijah gave her a hungry yet passionate glare, taking her face firmly but tenderly in his hands… just before his eyes darkened… his fangs protruded, and she felt that delicious blast of fireworks take over her shaking body as it hummed with overtaking ecstasy…

"_Ahhh_!..." Katherine moaned at him taking her blood, mouth slightly agape… there was just such rapture in _that_ feeling… it was like nothing she'd ever experienced. It was perhaps her love for him that made it so intense…

Pulling back with blood on his lips as he forced himself more fiercely into her core… thrust after thrust, Elijah took her lips, letting his tongue explore in her mouth as she roughly pulled back and he tilted his neck to allow her to _take_ what no other vampire had ever taken.

The feel of her womanly lips pressed to his neck as he felt her break through skin… sent his world for a flip making him growl and gush out in vibrant delight into her tightening womanly folds…

Riding out the last of their tremors… as they both came down from their high; Katherine slumped onto his chest caressing him lovingly…

"I… love you, Katerina… you know that right?" Elijah voiced in that gentleman refined tone that was only his.

"I do…" she answered snuggling closer to his side…

"I'm going to change how you feel about here…" he told her confidently…

"You've done plenty already…" she returned closing her eyes…

"Well I'm nowhere close to being done…" he added.

"Well then I love to see you try…" she looked up momentarily, took his lips with hers in a tender nibble, before settling her sated form more comfortably on him and letting sleep take her.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Alright guys... so I'm a little apprehensive about this chapter because I really need to develop the back story of the Originals (in my story ;) at least) and being that Rosario is the one telling it... it was really hard. At this point I don't want to make you wait any longer and I just hope it makes sense and that it is good enough. No smut in this chapter but will try to squeeze it in soon. **_

_**Please please Review... and thank you for being aweosme for reading ^_^**_

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><p>Chapter 12<p>

Katherine, throughout the years hadn't understood the reason humans needed the time to mourn their family, or why talking to a pile of dirt covering the remains of who use to be someone you loved, would bring anyone at all any comfort. She guessed that it had to do with the fact that it had been a very long time since she still remembered the traditions of her humanity which she'd consciously shutdown. Now though, she realized that she had underestimated what the feeling of closure would give her…

Which is why she now stood at the gate of where her home use to be many centuries ago… newly reconstructed, unknown to her, by the man standing by her side.

Too much time had passed and she really had no idea what may have happened to the bodies of her family members, but she'd been too preoccupied with staying alive to have been able to do anything about it. So this would have to do…

"Katerina…" Elijah pulled her to him by the waist as they both stood in front of the home. Elijah wore a black suit and Katherine an oddly demure black dress that fell over her knees as she held a bouquet of daisies…

For the first time in her very long life she allowed all of the emotions from losing her family fill her since that dreadful night… a pain that she had learned to suppress as tears spilled over her pale face. She whispered a small 'I've always loved you' and placed the flowers on the ground of the entrance.

She trembled slightly from the emotion and Elijah kneeled by her side bringing her into his arms holding her tight… She leaned against him in support. Katherine had never allowed anyone to see her like this… weak and much less allow someone to console her. Elijah was different though… he was the man that had suffered perhaps the same amount as she and because _of_ her.

Too enraptured in each other and what they were doing, they missed a couple sitting in a car with extremely dark tinted windows staring at the sight of it all…

As Katherine wiped her tears as she thought to the spirits of her family that she held them in her heart and missed them every day, she heard Elijah inquire if she was ready to go. She gave him a small nod as he helped her off the ground and back into their car rental. Elijah had neglected for days his true reason of being in Bulgaria for her, which was good enough reason, but after focusing on her emotional well-being… today he'd be seeking out Mr. K. Nate Wilson.

/

The elder Rasolav woman had been patiently waiting for this moment to present itself. A friend of her that had been a witch had foreseen that the day for peace was soon ahead and that she'd be part of the enlightening process for a Salvatore Original, which had never existed given their strong opinion against the demons, and his beloved… who'd be caring within her womb the salvation and reformation of all species. It was with this important task in mind that Rosario began her story…

"Many, many… moons ago… all devils were left loose to do as they wished within humanity… destroying it and keeping it from moving forward…"

Alaric, Natalia, Elena, and Damon listened intently…

"It was in between wars of blood that the species discovered their strengths and their weaknesses… as you are all aware Vampires can't walk in the sun and werewolves are to suffer the curse under the Full Moon."

They all nodded in affirmation…

"But it wasn't always like that…" she said folding her napkin on her lap as she reached for her tea, "certain families seemed to have certain gifts and that is how the fights for survival began until too many deaths overcame our grounds. It was then so, that they created… shall we say a government? A hierarchy to which all supernatural species would have to obey…"

She sipped from her tea as she reminisced on the moment her grandmother had told her this story…

"Unfortunately a lot of blood was shed from the families that ended up in the list of this Dynasty, but they had no other way of being chosen than by fighting for that entitlement…"

"War…" Damon voiced.

Rosario acknowledged it in truth as she went on, "The vampires were the first to take dominant position in the new government… It was the Wiltshire Originals- _true_ bloods and back then the Salvatore's, went by Salvadorezs- who were also Originals but had always had a vampire hatred complex…"

Damon considered that for a moment… at least he knew that _that_ disgust had always been in the family and it hadn't had been just his father, "Believe you me that hasn't changed…" he said in sarcasm.

Rosario smiled at him, "It's because it's in _your_ blood to be that powerful and the Salvadorezs always despised that it was _in_ their blood to become what they most abhorred."

Damon scoffed as he thought about how ironic this was… his father the vampire hunter could have been a badass vampire. He should have taken a bullet to his own heart.

"In fact…" she went on, "in the history of time the only known Salvadorezs Original vampires where the ones that established your stature in the Dynasty who no one knows or have heard off till you…" she informed him.

Damon was speechless… but what could he say? Up until a couple of months ago he thought that becoming an Original had been all because of Elijah… Come to find out now, that he could have been one all along all he had had to do was trigger it. How? He had no idea, but he guessed Elijah's blood had something to do with it. He was beginning to wonder if Elijah had known this or had it just worked out in his favor.

His thoughts were interrupted when she continued…

"Then the rest of the positions began to be filled in… the werewolves were the next ones to take power. The Lockwood's who went by the deLocwode's then and Harcourt's, who have practically disappeared from the face of the earth- though I suspect it's because of the massacre that was ordered, but I'm going off topic…" she shook her head holding her cup in both hands.

"Then the ones to join the Dynasty late and very much reluctantly… were the witches' most powerful covens… the Bennett's and the Putnam's…"

"Bennett's?" Elena asked, "Why reluctantly…?"

Rosario sighed; "They were reluctant because they wanted no part in the supernatural war, but when they saw protection under them with the overgrowing witch trials, they gave in…" she shrugged.

"Oh…" Elena had whispered as Meredith spoke…

"I think I read about that… there came a time when the persecution for witchcraft had increased dramatically and then from one day to the next… it had practically disappeared…"

Rosario smirked, "It's most likely true though the Dynasty tried to keep their government quiet but brutal in their governing…"

"So…" Natalia spoke softly, "These six families are the ones that make up this Dynasty Government…?"

"Eight families make up the Dynasty…" Rosario put in.

"Then who are the other two…?" Alaric asked.

"The Petrova's and the Radoslav's…"

Everyone remained quiet at this…

"But…?" Natalia tried to grasp.

"Weren't they… aren't they, _we_… human…?" Elena asked.

"Yes…" Natalias' grandmother said sadly, "But these two blood lines are… special, supernatural you might say…"

"Special…?" Damon slightly glared, "Special how?"

"Vampires found that they could not reproduce… except with _the_…" she let the comment hang.

"Petrovas…" Elena said in alarm.

"and the Radoslavs?" Natalia freaked.

"Yes…" was all, the older woman said. Rosario had dipped her face for a moment and they all noticed a tear run down her aging cheek… "The Human Blood lines had been originally meant to be the common ground participant of the Dynasty, though things didn't _necessarily_ work out as planned…"

"Grandma…?" Natalia asked, up until this point she'd just been completely taken by what she had to say about their pasts and it had surprised her to find out that it included her so deeply.

"I apologize, my dears… I've gotten emotional in my old age…" she looked up and noticed they were all just too enthralled by her revelation to have anything to say… At least that explained how and why Elena… was pregnant.

It was Damon the one who spoke next, "So… I think it's safe to assume that something happened and that's where _things_… didn't work out?"

"That's right… for decades this treaty of peace between the families of the Dynasty had worked until Raphael Wiltshire, Aleksandria Radoslav, and Nealon Harcourt."

"Well fuck, that sounds like a horrible combination already…" Damon voiced.

"It was…" the grandmother explained, "One of the stipulations of the treaty was the _no_ comingling of the species and old-fashioned as those times use to be… being bethrowed was serious business."

"And something tells me we're not going to like where this is going…" Natalia said out loud.

"Aleksandria was bethrowed… _to_ Raphael, but _she'd_… fallen in love _with_ Nealon…" she shook her head slowly as she set her cup on the center table.

Damon practically snorted at what the problem had been. Did it really _always_ come down to a woman? The Vampire engaged to marry a Human who had fallen in love with a Werewolf… _Wait a minute!_

/

"What do you mean he's _gone_…?" Elijah questioned. He'd had someone watching the house every minute of every day in case something changed and his informant hadn't mentioned anything.

"Elijah…" Katherine said, "Calm down…" she whispered for his ears only.

"When?" he glared… "When did he leave?"

Katherine actually found herself needing to hold Elijah back from the older woman who was seconds from passing out. He was not one to lose his temper so easily so she was concerned as to how come now…?

"A couple of hours ago sir…" the older woman trembled, "he said that he was on his way to Italy on business. He'd mentioned he probably wouldn't be coming back…"

"Thank you so much ma'am…" Katherine said to the woman focusing her eyes on her… she had tested her to try and compel her to forget her fear, but she must be wearing or have been drinking vervain because it wasn't working. So she settled for polite to get Elijah out of there.

The moment they were out the door, Katherine turned him around to face her… "Hey…" she said sweetly, "What was that about…?"

Elijah's shoulders slumped in defeat, "I just thought that this could have been our last stop and I would find out where my family is…" he pressed his forehead to hers, "or at the very least something about them…"

"So we go to Italy…" she kissed him full on his lips cupping his face, "We will find this guy… isn't Damon and the others there…? Maybe this is a good thing…" she caressed his hair, "let's not give up hope…"

Elijah narrowed his eyes playfully before his lips stretched into an adoring grin, "What would I do without you…?" he sighed encircling her body in his arms.

"You'd be fine, I'm sure…" she giggled.

He'd been in between rocking her in his embrace and at her answer, he stopped… "No I wouldn't… I wasn't, Katerina. I wasn't good without you…"

Katherine's eyes turned light with emotion as he closed the distance between them taking her lips with his in a passionate kiss. When he pulled back slightly aroused, his brows furrowed as he thought of his informant…

"I'm going to kill him…" he growled.

"Can I help…?" Katherine's face light up.

/

_Raphael went into the room unannounced his gaze turning into that of a predator as he found his mistress in bed ready to please him… he didn't hesitate to jump onto the covers with Breanne Putnam who was his lover, his friend, and his confidant…_

_Sweaty from their tryst and limps entangled in each other… Breanne voiced as she caressed the vampire's chest…_

"_There's something I have to tell you and you're not going to like it…"_

_He grumbled a bit as he asked, "what is it?"_

"_Alek's going to betray you with a Harcourt…"_

_The Original vampire stilled in anger before he jumped out of bed to haste back to his wife. Raphael had known that his wife didn't love him when they had gotten married but he had hoped for it to flourish with time… something that he was sure would not happen now because he did not want it after such a betrayal._

_o-o-o_

"_Run away with me…?" Nealon begged Aleksandria as he stroked her naked skin after making love. His love and desire for her was something that he could not quell and he was more than willing to break law after law just so they could belong to each other._

"_You know I can't Neal…" she crooned into his chest, raising her head to place tender kisses on his lips, "We shouldn't have done this…"_

"_Do you regret it…?" the Original wolf asked with a wounded expression…_

"_No… Never…" she grinned with tear filled eyes as he captured her lips once more. Aleksandria hadn't chosen to fall in love with him but she had… Unfortunately she had married Raphael not by her choosing. Now that she'd betrayed him she began to wonder how she was suppose to keep her love for the wolf inside when her body wanted to scream to never leave his side._

_o-o-o_

_Alek screamed as the pain of labor's over took her now vampire body as she was giving birth to her child… the midwives wiped her forehead, and held her hand as they instructed her to push…_

_With one last painful gasp… she felt some slight release as the piercing cries of a child filled the room._

_Raphael glared from the door at the bastard child being born. He had decided a long time ago that there was no way that he'd let her go to go have a happy life with HIM. So he would accept that nauseating piece of her and make her suffer._

_Aleksandria cooed at her smiling child as he actively waved his hands at her… her heart clenched at the sight of her son looking like his father._

"_Nicklaus…" she whispered in between tears caressing his small head as his eyes began to close in slumber. Nealon would have loved you so much, she thought. Raphael's jaw seemed to clench at the sight and he turned around and left._

Rosario stilled remembered in vivid detail the way her mother had shared this story with her. The only reason she knew so much was because it had been one of her ancestors that had been part of this grave chasm that emerged.

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><p><em><strong>Don't forget to REVIEW ^_^ I will love you like forever for it!<strong>_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Alright guys... so I'm a little iffy on this chapter and I'm really not too confident about it but it seems the more I tweak the worst it gets, so I'm kind of leaving it up to you to decide. Hope it was a smooth transition and that you guys enjoy it because I am literally biting my nails here.**_

_**Okay... *breathes* here goes nothing... Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! ;)**_

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><p>Chapter 13<p>

Rosario had sent them on their way after she had shared the most important part of their families' history. She had accomplished her task... she had shared the information she was told to say with them and had handed a passed down Royal Journal to Elena for the rest of what they may need to know.

It had seemed that great penmenship ran in the Petrova Family and one of her ancestors from then... had kept notes on the happenings as the Government had built and flourished; as also the way it had perriled.

Elena decided that there was only so much information that she could handle a night, so the moment they arrived back at the Salvatore Villa... she stashed the journal away in a drawer as she began to get ready for bed. She sure as hell hoped that Damon would let her sleep in because the sun was beginning to rise... proof of just how long they had stayed over at Natalia grandmother's place.

Natalia had come back with Stefan which she was still trying to get use to... not that she was at all jealous or anything, but it was surprisingly odd in a good way and comfortable... like if she was one of the girls. She had also found it strange that she felt so at ease with Meredith... she guessed it was the reminder of her being a lot like her aunt and perhaps that she was looking in her for that motherly figure that she didn't quite seem to be lucky to have. She sighed... tomorrow would be another day... hopefully a better one since all of this history was trying to place itself in her head.

She slipped into the more than comfortable covers and the moment her head hit the pillow she was out.

/

Damon served himself and the guys a more than regularly filled glass of scotch... the moment the women had disappeared into their bedrooms. It was safe to assume that they were all pretty much at a loss with what they'd discovered and in some sense... they really didn't know where they needed to go from here.

He handed the glasses to Ric and Stefan...

"So..." Stefan began, "I'm going to be an uncle..." he grinned. Out of the nights experience and knowledge... that had been the cherry on top of their evening.

Damon smiled beside himself, "Not the most important thing to worry about just yet but..."

"Yeah, but I mean..." Ric stood, "You're going to be a _father_... that sure as hell is something..."

Damon nodded taking the scotch in one gulp as he refilled his glass... "I guess I am..." he voiced. The light at the end of this more than twisted tunnel, he considered. Sure... it had been unexpected and he didn't know what it meant in regards to this whole Dynasty crap, but aside from the fear creeping in his gut at being _his_ father... the blessing of the woman he felt he'd loved his entire cursed existance giving him a _son_, he refused to think it a daughter or he might just lose it, really filled him with extraordinary happiness.

"You're not father..." Stefan clapped his hand on his brother's shoulder already knowing how he felt because he'd felt it at some point too.

Damon chuckled humorlessly... "Sure as hell hope not..."

"Well even if you do become _that_..." Ric said approaching the men by the raging fire... "We'll kick your ass if you much as become a dick parent..."

"Thanks..." Damon raised an eyebrow at him, though part of him really took his words to heart. If he were to turn to his worst nightmare as a father, he hoped his brother or ‚best friend' would make sure that _that_didn't happen.

"We should all get some rest..." Ric said downing his scotch patting both brothers on their arms affectionately, "Tomorrow we should check in with John in Mystic Falls and make sure everything's okay..."

The brothers nodded. The only thing Damon knew would settle his nerves would be to drown himself in the arms of Elena... she was his safe heaven and the only place where he felt at least for a moment that things would be okay. He just couldn't get the feeling out of his chest that something was coming and it was not something good.

/

An early Tuscan morning the young couple arrived to their destination. Their was such an essence of romance in the air of Italy that you couldn't help but surrender to its beautiful wonders. Even with living such a long long life... it was always nice to go to a place where it seemed like the time stopped and you could just enjoy the real beauty of places such as this.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wiltshire..." the butler of a small Italian Mansion voiced as he greeted to their arrival.

"Marcus..." Nate said warningly, "What have I said about referring to me with my parents' last name...?"

"Apologies Master Nathaniel..." the man bowed, "Old horrid habits..." he smiled tenderly.

"I know..." Nate told him, "Just please..." he paused, "These are conflicting times and you never know who might be listening so..."

"Of course sir..." the butler said as he tended to get their luggage. Nate turned around then to open the door wider for his wife as she held out her hand for him to take.

"Katalina, my dear..." he said pulling her out placing a kiss on her lips as hers turned into a smile... he wrapped her hand around his as he walked them into their home.

/

Alaric knit his eyebrows and grumbled in his sleep as some kind of dinging noise seemed to want to interrupt his slumber. He groaned annoyed picking up a pillow to cover his head perhaps that would drown the noise or completely make it go away…

He then felt someone tap his shoulder successfully making him awake… he jumped to a sitting position cursing to the air when fiery red curls came into his vision with sparkling caramel like eyes…

"_Phone_…" Meredith's voice broke through his haze… she could only stare at the sleepy man not understanding he was sleeping through the annoying ring of his phone.

"What…?" he questioned, as far as sweet talk that the worst line ever, he thought.

"Your phone's driving me crazy…" Mer said grabbing it from the night stand to put it in his hands, "_Answer_!" she demanded.

He gazed at her perplexed and in all her annoyance she just answered herself… "Mr. Saltzman's phone…?"

"_Uh… Who's this?" Caroline said into the phone._

"This is Meredith… who's calling…?" she returned, "and might I add at way too early o'clock in the freaking morning…?"

"_Whoa, you psycho who I don't even know…" Care huffed, "Can I get Alaric on the phone?"_

Agh! Meredith grumbled as she tossed the phone at Ric… he heard a far away voice calling that made his look around when he finally realized it was his phone he picked it up…

"_HELLO!" Caroline was screaming…_

"Sheesh! Caroline…" he passed a hand through his hair, "Some of us are trying to get some sleep…" he said avoiding his original answer of 'someone better be dead if you're waking me up like this…'

"_And some us…" she returned, "Have been trying to get a hold of Elena or Damon or You… since yesterday!"_

"You've got me now… mighty awake might I add…" he said sarcastically as he heard her curse under her breath as she began with the reason such a call had come through.

/

Meredith didn't mind the morning… she was an early riser since she could remember, but that did not include days that they'd stayed up till the crack of dawn. She tightened her PJ robe as the smell of coffee filled her nose… she smirked… perhaps somebody was already up and thank them for brewing some well needed caffeine for her crappy mood…

"Good Morning…" she singsonged, before she stopped dead in her tracks…

Stefan's eyes popped open at the whimpering sounds of a woman calling for help causing such a stir that Natalia rushed behind him, though not like him in his vampire speed.

Damon heard the struggling and yelling through his acute ears and his first instinct was to glance at his side for Elena who was clearly sleeping soundly… and now… he thought as he stepped out of bed, he was going to do some yelling of his own if they so much as made another noise that would cause Elena or the baby any kind of ache or discomfort…

In between his speed he considered aggravated that even _here_… no one respected his boundaries. He knew there had been a reason he wasn't sociable… friends but into your house, life, and any where they were not invited… When he walked into the kitchen in a flash… he would have laughed at the sight, had the situation not been sort of dire…

"Damon…" Elijah stared unamused at his friend and that smirk he'd grown to love and hate…

"Mind calling off your dogs…" Katherine spat… fangs bared and in a fighting position as she held Natalia in a head lock glaring at Stefan whose veins were becoming visible as he held a stake in hand ready for use.

"How about you let go of Meredith…?" Ric growled as she gasped under Elijah's grip on her neck, him pointing with a shot gun filled with wooden bullets.

"Children, children…" Damon walked right into the middle of it all, "play nice…" hands out stretched as a sign of peace. He walked to Elijah first to let go of Meredith, which he reluctantly did, adjusting his jacket… he then gave him a look to deal with his woman because he knew she would probably listen to no one else but him.

Elijah faced Katherine then giving her a nod and she let go of Natalia pushing her into Stefan's arms…

"Ric…" Damon stared at him since he hadn't lowered the gun…

Mer placed her hand on his raised one and he snapped out of his funk… "Sorry…" he put it down…

"So what the hell is going on with you all…?" Damon asked as they all seemed to finally relax… but burst into a fit of chattering to voice their version at the same time, except for Elijah, and Damon shushed them.

"Forget it…" he yelled… "Now… my delicately _pregnant_ woman is _sleeping_…" he stressed, "and you guys are all damn lucky that this house is old, big, and has walls made out of rock that allow no sound to travel or you may have woken _her_ and in turn would have to deal with _me_…"

Elijah's perplexed expression ensured Damon with the fact that he'd probably only heard the pregnant part, surely as Katherine seemed to tilt her head in a way that it seemed she was trying to process.

"So…" Katherine began, "Like someone else's child… or…?"

"No Katherine…" Damon stared pointedly, "as in she's carrying _my_ child…"

"Don't take that tone with me…" she scoffed, "it's not like if it is common knowledge the possibility that _that_…"

"Well it is…" Stefan interrupted taking Nati into a tight embrace, "and now can I know how it is that Elijah and Katherine seem to be like… together…?"

"We are..." she stepped to Elijah's side… entwining her fingers through his.

"I think it's safe to assume that we have much to catch up on as well…" Elijah said even tempered now while gazing at Natalia and Meredith, who he had not recognized and that had been _how_… they'd ended up in this not so friendly mess.

"Yeah…" Damon said, "But later… I'm going to head back upstairs and hopefully…"

"Damon… What's going on…?" Elena said as Damon practically ran her over with his body as he was trying to make his escape.

"Great!" was all that Damon was able to get out… turning to glare at them all.

/

After making proper introductions to Elijah and Katherine… they all settled into their friendly ease. It had taken a lot of placating on Elena's part to get Damon not to bite anyone's head off for her waking up. They had all gathered around in the open guest receiving room… to discuss Elijah's surprise visit, Alaric's report on Mystic Falls, and what Damon and his group… had found out here until now.

Elijah had explained that he was pretty sure that his nephew was still alive and that he was staying here in town for what reason… he did not know. Damon had enlightened Elijah on the fact that if Nate was in town, then he most likely was in search of Stefan as he explained the letter found and told him the story Rosario had shared.

Elijah hadn't been surprised on being a Royal… his father had always told him what position they held in society and in the supernatural, but what he had not known was that there were other families who were part of such status.

Alaric had filled them in on what Bonnie had discovered back in Mystic Falls… who felt very strongly about there being a much higher meaning to these families that he had been able to fill in for her.

A day full of travelling and lack of sleep, the men had continued discussing the Dynasty scenario and wondering if the government had been broken at first because of the betrayal… but then because of power. Meredith and Natalia had been sitting with them looking over old books for any piece of useful information that they may stumble upon to be useful. Katherine had been leaning into Elijah's side on the verge of dozing off as Elena had made herself comfortable on Damon's chest… at this point, completely passed out…

They were all very exhausted and emotionally drained… it had been a hell of a couple of days and it seemed that the deeper they dug, the more they seemed not to find the bottom of it all.

At least now though… all on the same page and location… they figured it a good idea to just wait Nathaniel out. It was better for him to come looking for them, instead of them out there looking for him.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Hello awesome readers :) I am loving the amount of people that seem to be reading and liking this story... so for that - Thank You. This chapter I dedicate to you ;) Last chapter was more of a let me get it together... was very iffy about it but glad you liked it. This one I am totally dying to find out what you think, so I hope that guys do that for me :) and Review!**_

_**Okay... enough of my ranting and Enjoy!**_

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><p>Chapter 14<p>

_Dear Journal,_

_Today, we were all summoned for a secret meeting with our King Wiltshire at the late hours of the night. Our majesty Raphael has been a different man since Queen Aleksandria gave birth to second son Prince Nicklaus… Most of us wonder if his attitude has anything to do with the rumblings going about the castle that the Queen was unfaithful bearing a child from that betrayal. No one dares speak of such treachery out loud because of the King's bad temper… it was said that that was why Duke Nealon and family were sent to be executed._

_No one understands the sudden need for him to have requested such a massacre, but it is true that no Harcourt will be left alive the way he's been going. Seeing as the meeting will be called to order now… I will continue my entry at a later time._

_o-o-o_

_I'm wordless… to a secluded amount of trusted people; we were called upon to discuss the breach of our law that clearly states the no commingling of the blood lines. Unknown to any of us how… it is apparent that our Vampire Queen bared a child hybrid. The King has made it perfectly clear that he will not stand for that and that we must make a decision of action. After a grueling amount of hours and discussions, it was the Original Witch that said they could make sure that the child's werewolf side remained dormant. Though like anything in life it is indefinite, there were stipulations conferred about because the child with such knowledge would be able to change that. But even then… we all discussed the possibility of it not making it that simple._

_I could tell the King was still not satisfied with the proposal, but knowing that killing the heir was not an option… he'd given the order for the Curse to be put in place. Prince Nicklaus we were warned is to grow up without the knowledge of his real bloodline the King swearing us all to secrecy. Should a word of this revelation leave the room, he threatened to wipe out our dynasty. _

_For now, my journal, all I know is that the Curse will happen tomorrow night… at the crest peak of the full moon… God help us in the dire situation that we have been put in to and I hope this issue never arises again._

_o-o-o_

_For precaution the witch said…_

_Breanne Putnam came to look for me last night… I have to stress to you my journal, that she and I are not friends. But it seems that she comes with orders of our majesty the King demanding my cooperation. I understand not the hatred that King Wiltshire harbors, but what I know is true is that he wants that child to suffer and never break the curse bestowed upon him._

_Brea said my family has been gifted with a line of doppelgangers that just happened to be a side effect of the Curse. Can I just say what bad luck we possess? She said that that is nature's way of setting balance in our world of the supernatural. The death of the doppelganger will happen to be a requirement if our hybrid Prince found out and decided to attempt to break the curse. I cannot believe the position that we have been put in, but aside from that… onto the 'for precaution part…'_

_It seems that this witch can sometimes tell the future and the future has told her that Prince Nicklaus will find out about his true nature and will go against the world to get what he wants. In comes the part of the Petrova bloodline thing… it seems that as an attempt to keep him from going through with it, she wants my blood to cast a soul mate spell. Let's just say… I wanted to laugh though she did not care for my attitude._

_Needless to say… I did as I was told having no choice but to follow my King's orders. Brea casted the spell right in front of me as my palm dripped blood on to the sleeping Prince's chest… the blood suddenly disappearing from him as the witch was done with her chanting. All I kept on thinking was that this was wrong… they were ensuring that Prince Nicklaus would fall for his doppelganger in hopes of deterring him from completing the Sacrifice. But would that be enough…?_

_o-o-o_

_I'm in love… with a Wiltshire. I should be joyful, well… I am content but part of me questions where my feelings actually come from. The pull that I feel towards this man is immensely self consuming. Which, was all fine by me until the Putnam Witch said there were some consequences to soul mate spell. That's correct, my body, mind, and soul scream for this Wiltshire man because of it… my blood calling for his. Basically… I will never know if we were meant to be or if he loves me because of this ridiculous vendetta the King has started all because his wife._

_It makes my heart break that I will never know…_

_I suppose that I should just enjoy what I feel, rightful or not. The only hope I have left is that the witch said that when a Petrova doppelganger finds her soul mate in a Salvadorezs instead of a Wiltshire, though she mentioned it unlikely, and it will all be over. A child must result of that union ending this ridiculous blood feud once and for all. Claiming what will be rightfully theirs… the right to the new Empire._

/

Elena closed the Journal as she continued to blubber like a little girl… she'd scanned through the pages of the old book to see what more she could find out about the Dynasty Families their Government and History but what she had not expected to find was the amount of vengeance portrayed and how far things really went.

She had questions… of course she had questions… she felt like she might be this Petrova woman baring that Salvatore child and that scared her because she didn't know what that would mean.

Damon decided then to creep inside their bedroom to check on Elena now that she seemed to sleep all the time. He would find it almost humorous that she could not stay awake if she didn't take at least two naps a day. Though asleep was better than crazy hormonal Elena who seemed to be overly emotional these days. He couldn't complain though, it seemed that her sex drive had skyrocketed and he was thoroughly enjoying that immensely.

He finally walked all the way inside stealthily until he heard her sniffles and found her red face from all the crying…

"Whoa… what's going on?" He flashed to her side.

Elena just gazed with tear filled eyes burying her head in his chest as she cried like the world was falling apart. He hugged her tenderly… rubbing her back lovingly as he tried to comfort her of whatever had upset her so much.

Suddenly Elena pulled back cursing, "Raphael was an asshole…" she started, "God! Why did he get married in the first place…?"

Damon pulled back staring at her like she'd lost her mind…

"She didn't love him… HE knew that…" she got off the bed, "What did he think was going to happen…? That she'd wake up one day and be in love with him?"

"I…" Damon was at a loss to say anything…

"Ugh…" she looked around at all the Kleenex she had used all over the bed and grab them bunching them up, "I probably look all gross…" she said disappearing into the bathroom.

"_O-kay_…" Damon sighed to himself running a hand through his hair as he followed after her… She was standing in front of the sink gazing at herself in the mirror.

He slid his hands around her waist and her now clearly visible bump… gazing with adoration, "You're beautiful…"

"Liar…" she grinned at him through the reflection as she nestled back against him taking comfort in his arms, "but thank you…"

"First of all…" he placed a lingering kiss on her neck, "I don't lie…" he kissed her again, "and second of all… I'm assuming you finally decided to read that Journal…?"

"And third of all…?" Elena asked when he stopped.

"Yeah, that's all I got…" he chuckled peppering her neck and ear with kisses making her burst in a fit of giggles.

"Okay, stop, stop, stop…" she breathed exhausted trying to get away from him. She turned around in his embrace then to place a slow tender kiss on his lips… enjoying the way his mouth claimed her more forcefully as he let his tongue roam inside her mouth making her moan… "_Mmmm_…"

Damon loved the way her body just melted under his touch, especially when he did simple things like run his fingers on her arms or back… making her shiver from pleasure. He'd learned his way to caress her skin… to sooth her emotions away.

Feeling her kiss him back blissfully happy while running those wonderful nails of hers on his scalp… he pulled back keeping their foreheads together as he asked…

"Better…?"

"Infinitely better…" she smiled…

"Good…" he pressed his lips to hers again saying, "Why don't I draw you a bath… and later, we can talk about what made you so upset…"

Her expression turned sad for a second before she lit up nodding at him in acceptance…

/

Tyler pulled Caroline into a hug as they made their way down to their gate…

"I'm so glad we get to take a summer vacation…" he purred into her neck.

"Technically…" she said softly back, "We're not going on vacation… we're meeting Elijah and Damon bringing those damn rocks they seem to desperately want…"

"Well I…" he turned her around to press her against one of the columns, "plan to take advantage either way…" he captured her lips fervently then… as if they weren't at an airport in front of lots of people. Kissing her passionately and yet tenderly…

"_Sheesh_…" Bonnie said out loud, "Don't you two do anything other than be all over each other…?"

Caroline giggled pulling back as Tyler scowled, "Jealous…?" she teased.

"Not in the slightest…" Jeremy called pulling Bonnie to him playfully… as he planted a more than sensual kiss on her lips.

She'd humorously tried to push him off but then all but gave in to his entrancing lips…

"_Uh_ _hum_!" Caroline cleared her throat loudly making Jeremy and Bonnie pull apart to stare at them before they just started laughing.

"It's going to be a good trip right…?" Bonnie asked as their laughs subsided and they took a seat at the waiting area. She just felt edgy about this trip and she couldn't pin point why.

"Of course it's going to good…" Care answered, "We're going to Italy for god's sake…"

"Exactly…" Tyler said, "And we're going to have a great time…"

Bonnie smiled as Jeremy pulled her closer to him whispering in her ear… "Everything's going to be okay…" he soothed, "you'll see…"

She continued to pretend towards her friends that she believed them but for some reason she just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had started that was surely going to come for her friends.

/

Elena moaned as Damon washed her inner thighs with the sponge as she arched her neck off to the side to give him better access at kissing and nipping her skin lightly… she could feel his hardened erection pressed to her back and she knew she was achingly ready to feel him inside…

"_Damon_…" she whimpered as he began to fondle her breasts creating just the right amount of pressure while tweaking her buds lightly…

She reached behind her in desperate desire to spur him on… squeezing his hard shaft while stroking it as best she could… he growled pleasurably against her ear and she knew she had him.

"_Elena_…" he rasped as he picked her up carefully from her hips to get her on her knees as he allowed his length to rub against her behind making her shudder in anticipation then pushed it down between her legs thrusting as if he was already in her.

"_No teasing_…" she panted turning side ways to capture his lips then pulling back pleadingly, "_I want you… inside me…_"

"_As you wish my love_…" Her tempting tone with the way her body writhed under his touch was all it took to give in to her. Damon leaned forward making her bend over, placing her hands on the side of the tub, as he spread her legs for him to position himself at her entrance… he began to surge forward into her welcoming nether lips… as she took all of him in.

They groaned in unison… Elena impaling herself on his succulent cock as he began withdraw and plunge into her already tightening folds. Meeting his driving force with hers; thrust after thrust always hitting that wonderful spot inside her that made her scream…

"_Ahh_… _so_ _close_…" he heard her moan so he angled himself better to surge deeper into her core… making her cry out in appreciation… her heart hammering in her chest as felt herself explode in utter bliss…

"_Good God,_ _Elena_…" Damon groaned as her womanly folds clamp down on him delightfully strong… swiftly pulling him into oblivion with her as they both rode out the waves of their intense lovemaking that never failed to make their world quake.

Slowly and panting from their tryst… Damon eased back into the water bringing a satisfied Elena back with him.

"_Hmmm_…" she sighed contently laying on his chest, "_I love you_…" she purred nestling as much as she could into him.

"_I love you_…" he smirked enveloping her into him just as she liked. It still amazed him every once in a while that such a wonderful woman loved him as much as she did knowing _who_ he was, _what_ he was, and more importantly… what he had done. But _she_ did… truly and honestly… love _him_. He couldn't be more grateful of his cursed life than now that he had been gifted with her.

Now Elena pregnant… was just the cherry on top of a sundae as days went by and more and more the idea of being a father really excited him. He was sure that he would never be one but he supposed it had to do with not ever loving a woman like he did Elena. She was the caring, loving, and nurturing… he now knows that he's lucky to able to share this with her because he'd be lying if he said that he hadn't considered that he could have lost her one day because he wouldn't be able to give her what most women want at a certain age. That he knew of, anyway, that was obviously not a problem now.

"You're too pensive…" Elena said caressing his cheek looking into his brilliant blue eyes, "What's on your mind…?"

Damon chuckled, "Just that I love you… a lot…" he said kissing her cheek, "and little one in here too…" he said rubbing her tummy.

Elena beamed up at him turning in his arms to cup his face, "I love _this_ you…" she said sincerely, fatherhood was something to suit him so well already.

He just seemed to roll his teasingly at her as his softer side always came out for her… "How about we get us out here before we start looking like ugly prunes…"

She giggled at his comment while grabbing the sponge to soap him up… plus, they couldn't really hide too long from their friends before they came looking like little impatient kids lost for something to do.

/

Katalina ran from their bedroom to Nathaniel's study as her Ruby Necklace began to glow a deep red. She couldn't believe this was happening… they weren't prepared for the Original Family and yet somehow they'd been awoken and were already here…

"Nate, my love…" she rushed in… "The Wiltshire's…" she gasped in anxiousness, "they're _awake_ and they're _here_ or _near_… not sure which…"

"_What_?" Nate stood walking to his wife as she opened her palm to show him the glowing necklace… "That's _impossible_… Stefan Salvatore I heard from my contact is not an Original yet… there's no way the doppelganger has conceived…"

He paced aimlessly scared out of his mind… he was suppose to have warned the younger Salvatore before any of this would have happen but when he'd been told the ripper had come to Italy alone… he figured he was fine making other preparations first.

"Grab your stuff…" Nate told his wife, "We have to head to the Salvatore's now and hope we aren't late already…"

/

Elijah flipped the page through some of the notes that Meredith had provided according to what she'd been able to find on the Original Dynasty Government, when there was a slow knock on the main door… that seemed to confuse him since his vampire hearing hadn't picked up a car approach or steps to the door come near…

He heard Katherine flash to the door opening it as he made his way there to become frozen in place by the sight of the man…

The elder looking man stood there smiling charmingly at Katherine as she began to introduce herself and the man bowed down to place a chaste kiss on her hand…

As he pulled back, the man noticed Elijah gaping… "Won't I get invited in _son_…?"


	15. Chapter 15

_**Hello everyone :) You guys still out there? Sorry for the delay on this chapter but I had some computer/internet issues and I couldn't update till today :( I hope you guys forgive me and you continue to read and review as it is the only thing that keeps me inspired to write. I tried to make this chapter extra long to make up for my delay... hope you guys like that!**_

_**Enough of me, now please read and enjoy ;)**_

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><p>Chapter 15<p>

Nate and his wife got into their vehicle making a dash for the Salvatore Villa… during his drive; Nate wanted to beat himself up for thinking that he'd known everything there was to know and for waiting for the younger Salvatore to reach out to him.

He sighed, there was no fixing those mistakes now, he had been reluctant to meet him himself because of _who_ and _what_ he was. His father was a famous villain and his mother… well, nobody had ever known. Nate's heart strained a bit, he'd failed his mother by not following her requests… she would have never gone against his father and his wishes, but the one thing she had wanted to make sure didn't happen… was that the Original family, aside from Elijah, remained in eternal sleep.

God… Centuries of built up hatred passed down from his grandparents to his father and down to him. He refused to follow that tradition though; he would have to find a way for the Originals to go back into that slumber or find a way to kill them…

If they couldn't find a way to do that, the doppelganger would be in grave danger because now that she had obviously conceived… her royal blood was the only way to claim status in the eyes of their supernatural world because of the power that will be bestowed on her. Something that the elder Originals would not allow and would want to fight to take back.

Katalina reached over for his hand and he thanked the powers that she was his rock… he knew she was probably a basket case herself because of what she was about to face. Let's just say that they were both the product of species… that shouldn't exist.

Nathaniel pressed on the gas a little bit harder, hoping to get there in time…

/

"Stefan!" Caroline and Bonnie yelled running his way to take him into an embrace…

"We've missed you…" Care told him.

"Yeah…" Bonnie agreed.

"Thanks girls…" he smiled, "where are the guys…?"

"Picking up our luggage…" Care said tossing some of her hair back as both Bonnie and Caroline eyed the unfamiliar girl hanging a little behind him…

They were just about to question that when Jeremy and Tyler came up with practically falling over carts of luggage from the women.

"Stefan…" Jer called excitedly taking him into a man hug as they patted each other's backs affectionately, "How've you been…?"

"Great…" he answered… "Well…" he shrugged, "Considering…" he thought about Elena's emotions and whack ass cravings she'd get in the middle of the night.

"Stefan…" Tyler smirked taking his hand in a strong shake, "Good to see ya man…"

"Likewise…" he stood awkwardly as he turned pulling the shy behind him over as he introduced, "This is Natalia… by the way…"

Natalia smiled shyly… "Pleasure…"

"You're girlfriend?" Care called out loudly making everyone chuckle as the poor girl blushed and Stefan eyes seemed to sparkle pulling her close…

"Something like that…" he answered then stared back at the carts… "So is that all…?"

"Unfortunately yes…" Tyler rolled his eyes… I mean come on, it wasn't like they were moving to Italy, they were just visiting!

"Hey…" Care smacked him, "Don't you want me to look pretty for you…?"

"You always look beautiful to me…" he countered, "Dressed up or not…" he smiled softly in that very rare glazed look that took over his face when he allowed his emotions to show.

"Aww…" the blonde smiled pulling her man for a sweet forgiving kiss…

Bonnie clapped loudly… "Hey… in new company you horn dogs…" she gestured of Natalia as Stefan stared struck by all the new knowledge. It seemed he'd missed a lot since he'd left after the whole Klaus debacle.

The couple laughed, though they did turn around to scowl at her first as Jeremy took hold of Bonnie's hand while Stefan helped with his cart. They soon began to make their way to the vehicle, Jeremy quickly delving into the subject of why Elena and Damon hadn't been there to pick them up and all Stefan had said was…

"Oh…" his smiled stretched impossibly big, "You'll find out soon enough…"

Natalia's face had lit up at that and the rest of them furrowed their expressions wondering what the hell he could possibly mean by that. It wasn't like the drive to the airport was an hour away for God's sake, she should have been present.

/

Damon had heard the knock on the door but he paid no attention figuring it was just Stefan back with the Mystic Falls gang. He was much more intrigued by the Journal that Elena had left on the bed as he scanned and read mini passages from here and there… learning a little more history about all their pasts.

That had been up until Elena had come up to stand next to him on the bed snatching the book from him…

"Hey… I was reading that…" he scowled playfully.

"That which is not for your eyes Mr. Salvatore…" Elena smiled and she knew that they would have fallen into their usual banter had a pain not taken her by surprise… literally crumbling over in pain…

"_Elena_!" Damon panicked catching her as she had doubled over towards him holding her abdomen in pain… "What's wrong… what do you feel… should I…?"

"_Ah_…" she gasped grasping him wherever she could, digging into his skin as she begin to say in between ragged breaths, "It… hurts…" her pain stricken eyes filled with tears meeting his preoccupied ones as she had attempted to say something else but all that came out was a loud scream that seemed to vibrate through the walls as she lost full consciousness in Damon's arms…

/

Elijah glanced at the man that he had once looked up to standing there in front of, for all intents and purposes, his wife while pretending to be that quite superior and refined King that he once upon a time had been…

"Father…" Elijah said softly, his voice void of emotion. He knew he should have been more excited to see him, I mean, wasn't this whole ordeal for him to find his family? But… he thought, all the information that he'd collected up until this point said that Nicklaus had had every right to be upset with their family. Now granted his younger brother had taken his obsession to the extreme and then of course there was his betrayal, but how could he not feel alone with the way their father had pushed him away and mother had disappeared.

"Please…" Katherine said with as much confidence as she could in front of the father of the man she loved, immediately wanting for him to like her, "Do come in…"

The moment he had attempted to pass the threshold of the house, it seemed as if an invisible barrier had come out of nowhere… stopping the Original Vampire King in his tracks. Katherine and Elijah also suddenly, being forced out of the home that they had clearly not been invited to. Which made no sense…

/

Scared probably for the second time in his undead life, Damon cradled Elena in his arms bridal style flashing down stairs ready to jump in his car and take her to the nearest hospital. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know if there were risks that he should have been aware of, pregnancy stuff that he should have researched for situations like these, he was more than freaking out now that the thought of losing her to something he would have _no_ control over, like illness or medical complications, were all scrambling thoughts in his head as he tried to keep calm. Wasn't he Mr. I Can Handle Everything…?

And then all of a sudden he was downstairs… broken windows to his left and an older man growling as he was getting off the ground to the front door… he noticed a barrier block his entrance to which he didn't understand… this home belonged to no human Salvatore for the house to be protected… Frustrated by the sight of danger standing in the way of him getting Elena to the hospital he growled…

"You gotta be kidding me…" he looked around desperately.

Raphael spotted Damon with Elena in his arms and he all but snarled from the door… "_Salvatore_…" he said disgusted as he attempted to get in the house again unsuccessfully, "that human girl…" he paused staring deadly, "you're not going to make it out of here alive…"

Damon stared in awe making a face while holding Elena instinctively slightly closer, "Who the hell are you…?"

Elijah appeared behind his father then pulling him away from the door by the shoulder, "You're not going to hurt them…" he announced.

"Are you taking _their_ side…?" his father asked incredibly, Katherine shivered at the tone of his voice, realizing, just how dangerous this elder man really was.

Raphael and Elijah stared each other down; faces right in front of each other… anger rolling in waves between the both males on the verge of throttling each other to the ground as they both defied the other with their fierce look…

With slight pride at his son not backing down, Raphael said with an evil smirk, "God, you really are my son…"

Elijah remained unfazed by his comment as he called out over his shoulder, "Damon… is Elena alright…?"

Damon could hear Elena's heart faintly slowing down … "I have to get her to a hospital…" he finished with urgency.

"Go…" Elijah said still not glancing his way as he noticed his father arched an eyebrow… An eyebrow he clearly knew was saying, do you really think that you can take me…?

Damon made a flash for the door without thinking twice, barely missing the grasp of the older looking Vampire as he jumped into his car, placing Elena on the passenger seat gently though as quickly as he could.

He was pulling out of his spot when he noticed a car pull up behind him… he banged his fists against the wheel cursing probably every word he knew in the Italian language as he stepped out to glare at who was now blocking him in…

Katherine couldn't believe her eyes… in a blurred second Elijah's father had tried to charge against Damon and Elena… the man she loved had quickly stepped in attacking his father back while pushing him up against a wall, and when he had almost gotten out of his grasp, Katherine had jumped in to help hold him back while Damon got away…

Nate froze at the sight of part of the family that he'd never known as he pulled up behind someone's car… the sight of his grandfather though, trying to get out of the hold of his uncle while throwing a death stare to the car he now realized carried and unconscious human made him react…

"Kate…?"

"Elena's in that car and something's not right…" she interrupted him…

"GO with them…" was all he said as he went out in vampire speed barely catching Katherine as the Original Vampire tossed her like she was nothing but a bug that could be squashed…

"Who…?" Katherine began to ask when he set her on her feet going up against Elijah's father as he'd pushed his son aside…

Nate held his grandfather in a tight hold as Elijah stood to gaze at the younger man confused… who the hell was he and why was he helping?

Katalina moved the car aside approaching Damon, "Sorry about that…" she opened the door to the back seat slipping in while cracking the window, "We gotta go… now!"

"What the fuck… Who the fuck…?" he cursed…

"Now Damon…" Katherine yelled at him already sitting in the back next to the other female vampire in the car…

He threw his hands up in the air as he noticed Elijah, the older looking vamp and a younger one holding him in a lock just completely exasperated… Whatever, he decided to get in the car driving off like the devil was on his heels. His only concern to get Elena to some professional medical help…

The love of his life was still passed out her heart had seemed to settle into a steadier rhythm, and now for the first time, he could hear his child's heart beat… though weakly hanging on…

Though he did not know the woman sitting directly behind him, he was sure happy that Katherine had decided to tag along because he knew that she'd back him up if nothing else…

/

Growling from deep within his throat as he saw the car disappear, Raphael quickly sensed from the younger vampire what he had sensed from the son he'd been forced to take in…

"You stink of werewolf and you're obviously vampire…" he shook himself violently effectively tossing Nathaniel aside as he was taken by surprise by his comment filled with knowledge…

Elijah's expression turned soft as he understood what his father was saying when he heard him yell…

"You're sight is revolting…" he approached with haste in his step threateningly… "You're dead…"

Elijah wasn't sure what had possessed him to do what he did, but feeling slightly protective of the younger man, he'd flashed forward landing a punch into his father's face barely shifting his face aside… the Original Vampire standing in place glaring at them both when another car pulled up…

/

Stefan and the car packed with the new arrivals had pulled up to the Villa taking in the scene in front of them in a shock… Caroline and Stefan were the first one out of the car to stand in fight mode, followed by the rest of the gang appearing in their human pace…

Raphael's lips twitched into an almost grin before he gazed between his son and the hybrid… "I'll be back…" he said like nothing and as Elijah and Nate surged forward to attempt to stop him… he had just vanished.

Stefan strode forward… "What the hell happened…?" he said alarmed by both men's appearances, "Where's Damon and Elena… and who was that…?"

Nate stood a little to the side of who he knew was his uncle as the action of him stepping up to defend him, actually caused him to feel cared for inside. Something he'd never felt since his mother was all he had ever had…

"Come down Stefan…?" Elijah said dusting his suit as best as he could knowing that they were probably not going to be able to go inside the house, "What matters right now is that we go make sure Elena's okay…"

Stefan's face paled slightly as Jeremy pushed himself through their friends while asking, "What's wrong with Elena…?" clear concern on his face.

"We're not sure…" Elijah gave Nate a small smile, "Why don't we all head down there and I'll fill you guys in…?"

They all decided to get in their cars and make way to the hospital… Elijah had kind of been grateful that Italy had small cars and the group had gotten in their car as Elijah jumped into the car with Nate wanting to get a few private words in…

/

Damon was reliving the way he'd driven up to the ER of a hospital in Italy… Katherine had told him to go while she parked the car while demanding the other female vampire whose name she was blanking on, to join her. He had gestured a thanks as he'd picked Elena in his arms rushing through building's double doors…

Everything seemed to slow as they ushered him into a room with an empty bed and a doctor rushed in asking a million a one questions that Damon was surprised he'd been able to answer…

They had rushed to help her the moment he'd mentioned she was pregnant and that she'd passed out… they had asserted that the baby's heart had weakened and they began to connect her to monitors and an IV. In all the commotion her lids had fluttered open scanning around the bright room for him sighing his name in a way that only he was able to hear…

He was by her in a flash… when her eyes locked with his, she smiled faintly and then sleep seemed to claim her once more… Damon swallowed hard as he told her, "I love you… and you're going to be okay, I promise you, you're going to be okay…"

In any other instance he would have just fed her blood to get her better, but with the baby involved and him not knowing nearly enough to risk it, he suffered in a human way he did not want feel since his emotions intensified times a hundred in worry…


	16. Chapter 16

**_Slight slump there for a bit... the muse was being impossible and not being very cooperative but I seem to have been able to pull off this chapter that I am very please with. Let's hope you guys think the same thing :)_**

**_So here we go... thank you for your patience and please don't forget to review ;)_**

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><p>Chapter- 16<p>

Outside of the hospital after parking the car… Katherine had looked around to make sure that there was no one watching before she held the young woman by the throat against the car…

"Alright…" Katherine snarled with her eyes slightly shifting, "Who are you?"

Katalina could have fought back but she just writhed under her… "I'm not a threat to you…" she choked, "I can explain…"

And then, something caught Katherine's eyes… a locket dangling on her chest that she could not possess.

"Where did you get this…?" Kat questioned somewhat shocked, but her eyes holding back tears…

Kate gave her a small smile as she said, "I was told by my adoptive parents that it belonged to my birth mother's mom…"

Katherine gasped taking a couple of stumbling steps back… taking in the girl and her familiar features. Chocolate brown hair, heart shaped face, small defined mouth, and an uncannily familiar olive colored skin…

"That's impossible…" Kat whispered under her breath… the only thing that wasn't her, was her eyes. But she remembered those eyes… honeyed colored resembling those of the man that had taken her virginity. It seemed more than an hour had passed as she tried to believe what this young girl was telling her…

/

Elijah had been quiet on the drive to the hospital noticing the younger man give him weary looks as if waiting for him to speak. He had questions it's just that he didn't know how to ask.

"So…" Elijah began, "Just to make sure… you are Nicklaus' son…"

"Yes…" Nate answered.

"And you are… a hybrid…" he explored…

"Yes though I am since birth…" he told him, "I've been both species always."

Elijah nodded, "Why did your mother keep your existence from my brother…?" he wondered.

Nate chuckled slightly, "My mother said… that my father had had a really hard time accepting that he loved her as much as he did. And it was because of that that he had refused to break the curse, but she wasn't sure how he would have handled being a father…"

Nate shrugged glancing momentarily at his uncle…

"Mother figured it was safer to keep me a secret from him and all the Originals… so, I learned to hide…"

Elijah listened intently processing what he was telling him. His mother had been right to keep him hidden from his brother because he was pretty damn sure that fatherhood was just not ingrained in his genes. For all he knew, he would have had a fit… seen his child as competition and killed him himself.

"Me and Kate…" Nate interrupted his thoughts, "We're here to help…" he said sincerely.

"I believe you…" Elijah answered giving him a small grin.

As they pulled into the parking lot of the hospital Nate added, "But I think I should tell you guys what I know till after we find out how the doppelganger is…"

"Elena…" Elijah told him… calling her what she was sounded so impersonal.

"Yes, sorry…" Nate rephrased, "Elena…"

By now Stefan had pulled in next to them parking as they all shuffled out of the car in search of news of what was happening to Elena. Elijah and Nate followed suit quickly, Stefan pulling Elijah back with him whispering in a rush…

"Tell ME… what I walked in on… NOW…" he demanded…

Elijah raised an eyebrow at his attitude, and Stefan added, "Please Elijah…"

He nodded at the younger Salvatore as they all rushed forward and Elijah as quickly as he could in the smallest version that he found, explained how things had quickly unraveled since the moment he'd been gone.

/

Damon paced in front of Elena's room as the doctor and the nurses had kicked him out when he began yelling at them to do something. The doctor had promised that the moment they got the baby's heart beat under control he'd come out and talked to him. It seemed like hours had gone by and he still hadn't come out.

There was a slight turn of a handle and the nurses stepped out… the last, telling him to go in…

Damon could detect the strong scent of blood, and not just any blood… it was Elena's blood. He'd looked to the doctor to see him dispose of bloody gloves as a peacefully sleeping Elena laid there unmoving. He was about to question the doctor when he began…

"Mrs. Salvatore will be perfectly fine…" the doctor smiled reassuringly…

Damon couldn't help the grin that took over his face as the doctor called Elena, Mrs. Salvatore he'd admitted her under his last name to make sure they'd let him see her, but what eased his heart from the tightness in his chest was that he'd said that she would be okay…

"What happened… did we do something wrong…." Damon prodded; he needed to make sure that this didn't happen again…

"Not necessarily…" the doctor said approaching, "It sounds like whatever was of stressful surprise to her was what caused the abdominal pain and bleeding, but nothing that's of concern, though she does seem a little weak…" he said picking up the chart to make some notes, "I think we need to start her on prenatal vitamins and just make sure she eats well…"

"Okay…" Damon nodded with a serious face on…

"She is eating for to Dad, make sure you pamper her enough…" he tried to soothe…

"TWO!" Damon choked… He couldn't even grasp that. What did he mean TWO? Just two fucken days ago he was a normal vampire getting use to the idea that he was in love. Which was great… then he'd found out he was going to be a father, and yes… that was shocking but he'd been taking that quite well. But TWO… _TWO_… two boys or two girls- God help him- or a boy and a girl or…

"Damon…" Elena called softly, groggy from some of the medications they'd put in her system to bring her hypertension down; very minimal and non invasive so no harm would come to the babies.

"Ah, Mrs. Salvatore…" the doctor approached to check some of her vitals, "I wasn't expecting you to be up so soon… How do you feel…?"

"Sleepy…" she answered with her eyes completely trained on a frozen Damon, "A little sore…" she complained.

"The sleepiness is normal…" he told her, "the soreness must be from the internal sonogram and the slight spotting you had…"

That caught her attention, "Spotting! Is my baby okay…?" she said trying to get into a sitting position…

The doctor held her down… "The babies are fine…" he said gently.

"Two…" she heard Damon babble…

Elena furrowed her brows staring straight at the doctor, "Babies?"

"Yes…" he said smiling, "As in two… two hearts, two fetuses, two very healthy looking bambinos on their way…"

That's when Elena looked to Damon finally snap out of his haze to glance at her… her eyes locking with his and they were both pretty much in a panic. But, underneath that panic… Damon gave her a grin and Elena's face softened into that of excitement when the doctor realized something…

"This is your first appointment confirming the pregnancy, isn't it…?" he voiced…

"Yes…" Both Elena and Damon answered, him walking towards her to take her hand.

"Well let me be the first to Congratulate you both…" the doctor smiled at them, "today was nothing but a small scare…" he explained for Elena's benefit, "We will keep you overnight to make sure no more spotting happens, but you seem rather strong and healthy…"

"Thank God…" Elena breathed…

"Now get some rest…" he said walking towards the door, "You'll need it and page the nurses should you need anything…"

"Thank you doctor…" Elena answered…

Damon walked towards him extending his hand saying, "Really appreciate you taking care of her and…" he said softly, "Sorry about the outrage before…"

"Understandable for first time parents…" he patted his hand, "I'll be around if you need me…" He gave him a comforting nod and left the couple alone.

Damon walked back to Elena to kiss her on her forehead, her nose, and lightly on her lips as he hovered over her with their heads pressed together…

"You scared the shit out of me you know that…?" he said his voiced still laced with some of that left over terror he'd been trying to control…

"Sorry…" she smiled gently arching up to capture his lips in more thorough kiss… cupping his cheek with her hand stroking it comfortingly.

"Don't you know that I no longer know how live without you…" he continued with his eyes closed, "If something happened to you or the babies even if…"

"Shhhh…" she whispered cutting him off, "I'm right here… the doctor said that babies are perfectly fine and apparently so is Mrs. Salvatore… whoever she is…" she giggled.

His eyes snapped open with the hugest most possessive grin she'd ever seen, "You caught that huh…?"

Elena nodded, "Too bad it isn't true…"

Damon scanned her face momentarily when he added, "It could be…" he said hopeful- much too hopeful for his normal cocky self, "I just never thought that you would… you know, want to… well…"

"You can't be serious…" Elena answered and she wasn't sure if it was because he seemed to doubt that she would indeed want to marry him or the fact that he seemed to be proposing just _that_… now…

/

Katherine's tears spilled over her eyes as Katalina's eyes also filled with tears gazing at the woman in front of her that she knew was her mother…

"This is real, right?" Kat said more to herself then stared at her, "You're real right… because if you aren't that would be really cruel and…"

"It's real…" Kate answered, "I promise… I've wanted to know you… my whole long life…"

Katherine took some hesitant steps towards her and so did Katalina… her hand was extended to her and Kate quickly grasped it. The moment their skin connected there had been this sense of recognition that she hadn't been able to feel before when she was too busy threatening her…

"You're the daughter I had to give up…" she whispered brokenly, her eyes filling with motherly love that had only appeared once the moment she'd laid eyes on her tiny daughter. "May I…?"

Without hesitation Katalina gave into what she'd been waiting for her whole life… to have her mother take her in an embrace. Katherine held her close and protectively to her… that's all she'd wanted the day she'd given birth. When she'd been pregnant she had been sure that it wasn't for her, but when she'd heard her cry, arms extended to be cared for, she thought she could figure it out. She would take care of her daughter… she could and she would, but her father had had other ideas and he hadn't even allowed her to hold her… at least just once…

And here she was now… able to take this beautiful young woman in her arms and know that she was hers… her long lost daughter. She hated that she'd become what she was and would want to talk about that soon, but couldn't hold it against the circumstances that had given her the opportunity to know her. Even if it was just like this… now…

/

Mid conversation in what could have turned out to be them getting engaged and soon married… Caroline and the rest of their friends walked into the room rushing to Elena's side while interrupting any answer Elena would have given him…

"Elena, thank God, Are you okay…?" Jeremy asked standing next to the bed.

"WHAT happened…?" Caroline added quickly…

"Hey!" Bonnie called, "Don't overwhelm her…"

Damon glanced at them all come piling in, "Isn't there like rule that says only so many of you can be here at a time…?"

"I compelled them to let us in…" Caroline answered proudly…

Stefan shrugged making his way to his brother as he said, "Sorry…" and Natalia smiled warmly.

Elena opened her mouth to say something when she heard Tyler, "Poor Elena, let her breathe…"

"Probably the best idea…" Elijah put in facing Damon… "Katherine…?" he questioned…

"Haven't seen her since we arrived…" Damon informed him eyeing the younger man trailing after Elijah.

"Have you told Elena about…" he began as he noticed the menacing look he gave his nephew…

"No and neither should you…" Damon said seriously, "She needs to stay stress free… Who the hell is he?"

Elijah stepped closer to Damon saying, "That would be Nathaniel… my nephew…" his voice with a slight edge, "He may be Klaus' son but you guys escaped because _he_ helped so…"

"Talk later…" Damon filled in his face serious… It was one of those things of not here and not now.

"Yes… later…" Elijah returned to watch Damon seem to give him the benefit of the doubt. Damon then turned his attention back to Elena to notice that she was beginning to look flustered as they were all chattering over her and she smiled politely…

"ALRIGHT!" Damon yelled… "One more word and I'll personally kick you out of the room myself…" it was when he noticed Elijah and Nate whisper something to each other and went back out the room. He figured they'd go looking for their women as he took his place next to Elena's side. Very much grateful he could tell…

"_Sheesh_ Damon…" Caroline said slightly hurt…

"Elena is in a hospital bed and you guys barging in here causing her more stress isn't going to help her get better…"

"Well what's…?" Jeremy began…

"Getting there junior…" he responded glancing at Elena assuming that she'd want to be the one to share the news…

"Thank you all for worrying about me…" Elena began sincerely, "and know that I will be okay it's just that I am more tired and sensitive than usual these days…" she grinned looking up at Damon…

"Are you…?" Caroline squealed…

"Saying… that…?" Jeremy eyes widened…

Elena nodded up and down… "We're pregnant…" she said her eyes filling with tears as girlish screams filled the room and the guys stood there frozen. Much like all males tended to take the news first hit.

Caroline and Bonnie were running towards Elena hugging her in congratulations, Jeremy and Tyler walking dazedly to congratulate as well, giving Damon that look of how the hell is this even possible. Stefan gazing proudly as Natalia melted to his side. It was when… Stefan began to notice someone in the group missing… and it was not Elijah, Kat, or Nate…

/

Alaric chuckled when he stepped out of the bed and Meredith smacked his behind as he put on a T-shirt and boxers turning to face a certain sexy red head in his bed…

"So wine and hors d'oeurvres…" he insinuated with his brows…

"Uh hum… perhaps something sweet too…" she winked and smiled as he leaned over the bed to place a kiss to her lips hugging the covers to herself…

Ric walked out happy that she'd decided to give them a chance, but his happy thoughts stopped when he made it to the common room to notice the windows were broken, the main door was slightly open, and the house seemed to be empty…

"Okay…" he said to himself, "What the hell just happened here…?"


	17. Chapter 17

**_Hey guys... :) Be glad to know that I finished with my finals, though I still have other classes, but I just wanted to say thank you for your patience. This chapter is going to take us into a little between what is currenly happening- to what has happened in a certain amount of time. I hope that makes sense, if not PM with any questions. I'm a little weary as to how you guys will like it, but this is the way DELENA was demanding, so I just caved :D_**

**_Enough ramblings :) Thank you for reading and please review!_**

* * *

><p>Chapter- 17<p>

Walking down the plain white corridors of the hospital, Elijah and Nate walked side by side scanning the area for their beloveds heading to the exit. They had been pretty much quiet until Nate asked, "The dark hair vampire, his name's Damon, right?"

Elijah chuckled, "Yes, why the question…?"

"He really doesn't like me, does he…?" he said looking to his side to meet the older vampire's eyes.

"He doesn't know you…" Elijah offered, "Well… _that_ and he really doesn't like _anybody_ and the fact that you showed up at a time of danger to the woman he loves doesn't really put you on his good side list…"

Nate nodded. He guessed he could understand. For the most part he himself had been a very calm, non violent kind of a hybrid, but the few times that he had lost his temper over the years had to do with the safety of Katalina. They also had had their share of danger some time ago and he could totally relate. Love really did make you do some wacky things.

Elijah came to a halt mid parking lot as his brows furrowed. Nate had kept on walking until he noticed his uncle was not in step with him, so he stopped to look at him to find out what was wrong… his expression utterly confused as Nate followed his line of vision…

Nate spotted his beautiful young wife taken into what looked like a very smothering embrace, both crying while they seemed to be mumbling soothing words. Nate's face lit up, knowing Kate had been waiting for this moment for a while. He went back to Elijah to let him know the news…

"Kate's Katherine's daughter…" Nate said trying to explain the sight in front of them.

Elijah's face went from confused to completely blank. He had known that Katerina had bared a child before she turned, but that did not make it any less painful. It hurt then when she had told him, and it hurt now for both knowing that she had finally gotten to meet her, but also because there weren't many things that he missed from being a human, but not being able to have kids with the woman he loved was one of those things. Odd that he would want that, but he did…

Nate sort of picked up on the façade and he figured that it was because of the same thing he had felt at finding out that Katalina had married and bared children before him. It wasn't the nicest feeling to have.

"We should be supportive…" Nate said softly.

The sound of that comment seemed to have traveled down to the two women because then Katherine and Katalina pulled apart. Katherine wiped the tears from Kate's face as she smiled tenderly. She then turned to face Elijah and Nate, where Elijah's face seemed to soften in affection. Nathaniel was already half way to his wife when Elijah followed. Kate was already introducing him to Katherine when Elijah pulled up to put a comforting hand on Katherine's back. Katherine wasn't going to think of the weird factor about the fact that the man that wanted to murder her was her daughter's husband, but it was bizarre to say the least.

Katherine had noticed the look on Elijah's face, and though they were probably not going to discuss it, she knew he was bothered. At least he'd politely introduced himself as then they delved into plans for the night since none of them were going to be able to go inside the Salvatore Villa without being invited in.

/

Elena had waved her goodbye to her friends as they shuffled out for the night. Once the gang was warned about Elena's sensitive condition, Damon had gone outside to tell Stefan to go home and research the Original family since he would stay at the hospital by Elena's side. When the issue of staying at the Villa came up, Jeremy and Bonnie voiced that they would stay with Stefan and Natalia at the Villa, assuming Stefan would be able to walk into his own house. Caroline and Tyler were very much weary of taking the invitation to stay with the Wiltshire's, but seeing as she wasn't going to be able to get in at the Salvatore's till Elena was home, she had no choice. Nate and Kate had been more than gracious to offer their home especially since Elijah and Katherine were already going.

Stefan was giving a manly hug to Damon as he said his goodbye, when Alaric and Meredith ran up to them…

"Hey, Damon…" Ric said out of breath, "What happened, where's Elena?"

"Is she alright…?" Mer added with concern. Being a researcher of such a field hardly ever left time for friends, but in the small time she had spent with all of them. She had felt closer to them than she had of anyone in her life… so yes, she was genuinely worried.

Damon's eyes got pointed as he said, "Yeah, dude… where the hell have you been…?

Ric's eyes just about brightened with the question as Meredith's seemed to soften to a guilty expression. And that's when it him… Damon could smell them on each other and he rolled his eyes, though his lips twisted into a smirk…

Stefan chuckled uncrossing his arms as he said, "Come on Ric… we'll fill you in…"

Natalia smiled at Meredith, joining her man as he began to walk down the hall.

"Go get some rest kids…" Damon said, "Stef can tell you what happened, we'll be home tomorrow they're just keeping her overnight for precaution purposes…"

"Alright…" Ric grinned, "Sorry about not being here, I didn't hear my phone and…"

"You're excused…" Damon winked at him while giving a knowing look to Meredith that made her blush.

"Yeah…" she sighed slightly embarrassed, damn vampires and their uncanny sense of smell. After all, it's not like after hearing their messages they had jumped in the shower to come to the hospital.

After some amused smiles and chuckles, the couple trailed after Stefan as Damon opened the door to what looked like a peacefully resting Elena. He stealthily made it to her side slipping off his jacket and tried to make himself comfortable on the stiff hospital couch. Elena opened her eyes to find him trying to find a comfortable spot, not that he was going to sleep considering that psycho of Elijah's father was still out there.

"Damon…" Elena whispered…

He looked up surprised at the sound of her voice, "I'm sorry baby, did I wake you…?" he walked over to her.

"No…" she beamed, "I just think your babies and I can't sleep without your arms around us…"

Damon chuckled; "I know what you mean…" he spoke. He couldn't deny that ever since he and Elena started spending the nights together that there was a way that he could ever now find sleep unless he was holding her tight to his body.

"So how about you slip in here mister…" Elena said scooting over and tugging the blankets so he could get in.

"Well I guess I _could_ do that for you three…" he teased as he slipped off his boots moving to a playfully glaring Elena.

He'd put the blankets down to tuck her in properly and then he had laid on top of them as he snaked his arms around her bringing her to him. Elena had turned around in his embrace pouting at not being able to feel him closer…

"I don't want you to be cold…" he explained taking her pouty lips with his.

Elena bit her lip seductively as she answered, "I won't be…" her tone low with insinuation.

"God…" Damon groaned as she nestled herself under his chin as she peppered him with tender kisses, "You sure are better now, huh?"

He heard her chuckle, "Oh yeah…" she said running her tongue from the dip in his collar bone up to his chin, his member hardening against her covered form but close enough for her to feel him. She hummed with need…

"You need your rest…" Damon tried to reason, pulling her chin up to capture her lips in a smoldering kiss.

"I need you…" she countered against his lips, purposely trying to grind herself against the prominent evidence of his arousal, "and I bet you need me too…"

Damon growled lustfully and then he stopped her from driving him anymore crazy than she already had him. He was straining painfully in his jeans, the sway of her hips weren't helping, and he was seconds of throwing caution to the wind and taking her here and now… but he wouldn't. He'd been frightened enough with what had happened and until the doctor gave the okay… he wasn't going to touch her.

"I do…" Damon told her, his eyes almost a navy blue his desire was to intense, "I will always want you, but you need to behave… at least for the night…" he said wiggling his eyebrows in that way she loved.

"Party pooper…" she returned, "Where's 'Damon Consequences be Damned' kind of a guy…"

He laughed pulling her close, "He found something to live for…"

Elena couldn't help but grin at that. Yes… she was horny as hell, her emotions were so off the charts sometimes, but she couldn't be mad at him- even with the throb between her legs- he was thinking of their health when they had just gone through what they did.

"I love you…" she whispered settling for sleep.

"I love you more…" he replied; and with a couple of kisses to her forehead as he circled a strand of her hair on his finger, after a moment, he passed out too.

/

Damon glanced at himself in the mirror as he actually very nervously adjusted his tie for what felt like the tenth time. He was at the Salvatore Villa on the other side of the home itself as Elena got ready on the opposite side in her white dress. He grinned at the idea of seeing her walk down the aisle towards him…

With that thought in mind, he still remembered what only a few months ago happened between them…

_They had come home from the hospital to find that Stefan had been able to go inside the house being joined by Natalia who seemed to be a part of their team now. Bonnie and Jeremy excitedly waited as were Ric and Mer after everything they had found out they had missed. Damon wasn't over thrilled at the idea of Meredith being part of their group, but being as she was making one of his bestests friends happy, he wasn't going to object._

_About a half hour later that same day, a hyper Caroline with her beau Tyler, a silent Elijah being joined by Nate as the women barely gave them any attention since their reunion had made their way to the door waiting to be invited. None of them had any idea how that had happened… the only explanation that Bonnie and Meredith had found was that because the babies on the way were true Salvatore blood and heirs, when the danger had neared, it had triggered a force field to appear around the property… throwing anything that they felt harmful or unknown out of the home. And that's how the gang had been invited in._

Damon had at least one piece of mind with that revelation… no one could come in unless they were invited, so at the very least, there would be no surprise attacks from the Original himself without them knowing.

There was a knock on the door that broke Damon out of his thoughts…

"Damon…?" Stefan called peeking inside looking for his brother…

"Yeah…" he answered tugging on the chrome color looking vest, "Is something wrong… is Elena…"

Stefan walked in calming him down, "Elena is doing great…" he assured, "I was sent to go see how the groom is doing…"

Damon chuckled lightly, "Are you here to mock me or …"

"Not at all…" Stefan said sincerely, "I am so happy for the both of you, it's just so… odd to see you… act so much unlike you…"

"Tell me about it…" Damon paced to the window where he could see Caroline flashing all over the place making small adjustments here and there. And this was only a small private ceremony; imagine how the hell she would be when they would do the whole big shebang, "Half of me…" he said, "feels like this is all a dream and that I couldn't possibly be marrying the woman of my dreams, but another… I swear scares me to death at the thought of not having her in my life… or unlife… when she realizes that maybe I'm not worth it…" he shrugged.

"You're a dumbass…" Stefan voiced, "You guys love each other like very few people love in a lifetime…"

Damon glared… not that he'd hurt him, but he was being serious. He knew he wasn't having cold feet, but what if Elena was…?

"How…" Stefan walked to his brother, "do you not know that the whole point of you turning was for the sole purpose of meeting her…?"

The elder Salvatore rolled his eyes at the younger sibling, though that thought did give him some sort of comfort. I guess that had been why he had chosen his brother to be the best man. Even with his nerdyness and sainthood, he had come in here with no knowledge that he needed to calm his stupid nerves…

"Hey…" Jeremy yelled cheerily, "Where's the man of the hour…?"

Elijah grinned walking in with champagne; Nate was holding glasses as Alaric came in with a camera; Tyler awkwardly stepping inside the room for the celebration.

Stefan turned to face the guys, turning back to look at Damon with a huge grin, "Time for the toast…"

Damon shook his head… "Who are we humoring with this…?" he said walking to the dressed up men while Elijah popped the cork on the bottle and began pouring.

"You're future wife…" Jeremy informed him, "and I've been threatened, so…"

"And Caroline…" Tyler voiced, "She'll want to murder you if we don't do as told…"

"Kate…" Nate put in.

"And Katerina…" Elijah added, "Are not far behind…"

Damon raised an eyebrow as the glass flutes were distributed among them.

"Yeah…" Nate grumbled, "Thanks for that by the way…"

"What's that exactly…?" Damon inquired.

"That Nate and I haven't officially married the Pierce or Petrova women…" Damon threw his head back in understanding, "they expect a wedding now…" Elijah enlightened.

"Exactly…" Nate confirmed.

The rest of the guys laughed as they gathered in a circle… "I guess since I'm the best man, I should make the toast…?" Stefan prodded; when they all waited he went on… "First, I just want to say thank you…" he looked at his brother, "for being a pain in my ass for the last century and a half but always there regardless."

"No problem little bro…" Damon raised his glass at him with a smirk.

"AND… I wish the best of everything to you and Elena because you deserve it. I love you, brother… truly and I can't wait to be an uncle…"

"Aww…" Ric voiced as they all chuckled raising their glasses toasting.

Damon took his brother in an embrace after… Ric snapping pictures like a maniac as the rest of the men did the same. When they had all congratulated him, Damon stared at the group and said, "I never thought I'd be in this position after I turned…" he said with a sarcastic tone, "but now that I am; I do not regret it for a second… I want you all to know that… this group right here… I tolerate you enough to be a part of this…"

Alaric scoffed loudly walking to him as he said, "Ah, we love you too sexy…"

Damon couldn't help but laugh at that as they finished their drinks and waited about until Wedding Barbie decided they were allowed to come out. Nate made his way to Damon after a moment, just trying to make easy conversation as they had seen to grow into… "Thank you, for… letting us be here…"

Nate saw him glance at him sideways and nodded…

_There had been this one eventual moment where Kate and Nate had been invited to the Villa, but Damon hadn't allowed Elena to invited them in until they all talked about how they knew who they were, what they were, and what their mission was._

_Per Elijah's request, they had met in the back garden of the Villa to talk as Nate and Kate began listing the missing parts of an even more twisted puzzle than they had ever thought possible. Elijah had already told Nate what they did know and Nate had begun to fill in the blanks…_


	18. Chapter 18

**_Hey wonderful DELENA Fans! I am sure that we are all REELING right now from that episode ;) I know I am. Anyways, I won't give anything away in case you haven't watched and we should get on with the story. As mentioned before :) Know that I will not ever leave any of my stories unfinished. I would hate that, so I would not do it to you guys. I really like this chapter. It didn't come out how I expected, but Damon and Elena do what they want with me and I give ;)_**

**_Hope you guys all love and please... if you take the time to read. It'd love it if you reviewed!_**

**_XOXO_**

**_Follow me on twitter- elizabeth85cec_**

* * *

><p>Chapter- 18<p>

"_Katalina's my wife…" Nate began, "As you all know now. We met about two centuries apart."_

_Elena had furrowed her eyebrows as Damon was about to question him, but Elijah had walked to him setting a hand on his shoulder while handing him a drink, with the gesture, asking him to just listen._

"_I, Keddrick Nathaniel Wiltshire Petrova, am Elizabethea's and Nicklaus' son…" he explained, "My mother was the doppelganger of her time and my father fell for her…" he shrugged simply, "but I'm sure you've figured that out…"_

_Damon gave a short nod and he continued, "I am a hybrid… werewolf and vampire. Took my father's genes and there hasn't been a time where I haven't been both. My mom… loved my father infinitely but when he voiced that they needed to part so he could protect her, she didn't question him. Plus she had me to think about and she knew he would never accept me. So we ran and hid… for most of my life."_

_Elena stared sorrowfully as she considered having to run and hide with her kids because their father wouldn't want them. It would be horrible and she felt for him and his mother._

"_On my mother's death bed she told me what father had asked from her. He had expected her to turn, but she never met him where they had agreed to make that happen. Mom said she wanted to stay who she was, didn't let me turn her either." He remembered his mother's ever going pain of being away from him, so he always thought that there must have been a good side to him, but though mom had brought him up to care for his father. She never pushed or allowed him to meet. It was simple, he'd hate that he was what he was trying to achieve._

"_After my mother passed, I stalk father for some time, he went on a killing spree after mom hadn't shown and I guess I couldn't blame him. I don't know what I would do without Kate." He glaced over at her and she smiled. "I honestly think that my father would have stopped searching to break the curse if my mother had gone back to him, but since that didn't happen..." he smiled sadly, "I think that angered him and he wanted revenge. He wanted to accomplish that by breaking the curse."_

_Nate remembering that his father was dead took a deep breath and continued…_

"_I know… I know he did break it, and that he's dead" he paused, "but I loved my mother enough to do as she asked so I came looking for the ripper… Stefan. My father's family had been put into slumber in different locations to which I have the map for. They would have remained dormant had Elena not conceived, but… well…"_

_He grinned genuinely at Elena, "The original plan per mother was for me to find Stefan and have him take over all that father had planned, world domination and all, but that is not who I am. I figured if I met with Stefan and told him everything I knew, that he would be able to kill Raphael, because he's the one full of all this hatred and maybe we could all move on."_

"_What about the dynasty?" Damon asked, "The title, the money, the status…"_

"_I have no interest in status… I have my wife. I have a life, the dynasty really has no importance for me unless Kate would want to, but I know we're happy."_

"_We are…" Kate agreed._

"_So you…" Elena began to question, when Kate gave her side of the story._

"_I am also a hybrid…" she turned to a wide eyed Katherine. "I was turned into one though, and it has only kept me alive because of who my father was."_

_Katherine thought hard, because she was confused at that. Not that she'd gotten the father's full name and all, but still._

"_I am daughter of an Original Putnam, Nate turned me into a vampire when I was of age and that's how it all worked. I am part witch and part vampire. It is obvious that the line of Petrova's continued because I also bared children before Nate. Most of them through time have changed their last name," she glanced at Nate, "we switch back and forth between our real last names to Wilson and Pierce. Part of all the hiding."_

_The six couples had sat quietly mulling over the information that had fulfilled it all to make sense. It really all came down to power and Nate's grandfather hatred and fear for the intermingling of bloodlines. There were many people involved and it would take the same amount of people to end it all. Very… prophecy like, this could all be over when Raphael turns up dead and Elena reaches to term._

"_We want nothing more than to help. In a way you guys are family to us and after hiding for so long. It'd be nice to just live, well, our undead lives." Nate voiced, "Start new… with all of you." _

_It was with those words that Damon reluctantly allowed the couple into their home._

/

Elena glanced at herself in the long mirror; Ivory knee length dress that molded over her growing belly like a mini curtain. Her hair in a low elegant knot while some strands of wavy hair framed around her perfect face and a glow about her that screamed of motherhood in one of the tenderst sights known to man. There was no more striking beauty than the simplest one of a woman carrying a child. At least that's what Damon had told her, and though she didn't want to believe him, somehow… he _made_ her _feel_ that way.

She took a look at her left hand at the engagement ring he'd given her and her eyes welled up with tears…

_Out in the Salvatore Vineyard, where towards the end met a beautiful garden that Damon had explained had been inspired by his mother. He had taken her hand one morning… they walked down the path of the growing grapes as he explained what his mother had taught him of wine when they reached their destination. She'd worn a simple sun dress, swaying faintly against the light breeze when he'd cupped her face and told her how much he loved her…_

"_I knew you were the one the day we met…" he whispered slowly, loving the smile that took over her lips, "that moment had been a part of the true me that I had never intended to show you willingly…"_

"_Damon…?" Elena began because something about his tone was off. Not in a bad way, but it was… different._

_He'd ran his thumb over her lips to make her stop talking as he continued, "Many days after that I convinced myself that I had intended to be that way with you to win your trust, but the truth was that you had me the moment your skin met mine when I made your acquaintance with the simplest touch…" he grinned that very Damon-esque grin that gave his wicked thoughts away._

_She had chuckled and stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she remembered how from the very first time she met him, there had been something between them that she hadn't been sure she'd be able to hide._

"_I put you through a lot Elena…" his forehead rested against hers._

"_I know…" she said right back, "But so have I…"_

"_No Elena…" he contradicted, "the reason why I am telling you this is because I always thought that I didn't deserve you…" when it seemed like she was going to cut him off, he shook his head and she pouted. _

_Damon took the cute pout of her lips with his slowly coaxing it away with love as he continued, "It was I that couldn't ask life for anything else… Your love and the gift of our children was enough for me. But when you said that you'd love to be my wife… I knew life couldn't get any better. That perhaps because it was too good to be true, that it wasn't, but time and time again…"_

"_I have told you…" Elena cut him off caressing his face, "and shown you that I don't see a future without you…"_

"_God, I love you…" Damon whispered pulling her for a needy kiss strong lips gliding over her feminine ones heatedly, "So much…" he added claiming her lips again passionately; this time allowing his tongue to probe and tease the warmth carven of her mouth. Her chuckles after a moment were what made him stop and he pulled back to gaze at her amorously._

"_What's with you…?" she said lovingly, wiping the smudges of her lip gloss from his lips as he went down on one knee, "Damon?" she froze mid wipe, her eyes wide with shock._

"_Marry me Elena Gilbert… and make me the happiest vampire man in the universe…"_

_Elena couldn't help but chuckle at the way he demanded, because he did not ask, to take her hand in marriage, "Yes… of course yes…"_

_He'd jumped up to practically crush her to his body to hear her cry out, "Whoa… baby, baby…"_

"_Oh right, sorry…" he had pulled back grinning like he'd discovered he was the fortunate man in the world and pulled out a ring. It was vintage, white gold, and a Lapiz Lazuli stone, encrusted around with flawless diamonds._

_She began to burst into tears, which was nothing new, she would cry for everything these days and placed out her hand, "It is breathtaking, Damon…"_

"_I'm glad you love…" he said slipping it onto her finger, "It belonged to Grandma Salvatore… she was tough, but a sweet soul deep under…"_

"_A common trait I assume…" she teased and he shrugged. After admiring her ring enough and thanking him with plenty of kisses, she'd melted into his embrace as they enjoyed their surroundings saying in a soft dreamy voice, __**"I'm getting married…"**_

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Elena was brought back by the knock and when she was about to say come in, Caroline and the rest of the girls were already bursting through the door.

"Hey…" Care dangled at champagne looking bottle and glasses in her hand, "Ready for your last drink as a single woman…?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, Meredith and Natalia went in laughing, as Katherine and Katalina joined smiling.

"Caroline…" Elena turned to glare at her pointing at her belly, "Hello I'm pregnant and can't drink…"

"Hello thank you for pointing out the obvious dork…" she showed her the bottle, "Sparkling Cider…" she chuckled.

Elena laughed as some of the girls made a face and she pulled her in for a hug while whispering, "Thank you for all of this… it really was unnecessary…"

Care pulled back, "Sure it was necessary… now let's toast because the Padre's here and the groom I heard is getting antsy. Which he will totally kill me if I don't get on with the show…"

As the women muttered their approval of that statement, because they all knew how Damon was, especially during Elena's pregnancy; Caroline poured the bubbly cider with Bonnie's help.

/

"We have to make our move tonight my sons…" Raphael said facing away from them staring into the distance out the window, "Your mother's near and we all know how she felt about Nicklaus…"

"Yes…" Finn, Kol, and Hendrik answered. They all loved their mother, it was like ingrained in their bones, there was just no denying it, but they couldn't contain the sting of pain as with time they came to understand _why_ she had always favored Niklaus when everything finally came out.

It had been pretty much a very well kept secret, at least around any other supernatural creatures, only families within the dynasty had learned the truth and only within the trusted circle. All of them sworn to secrecy but that hadn't kept the younger siblings from finding out about their mother's love child, which had explained many things between all of the kids with time.

The horrible relationship between the parents, among some things, the breakage of the dynasty, along with the wipeout requested by their father of all the Harcourt's, were all consequences of that affair.

"Nightfall…" Raphael whispered. He heard his sons mumble their agreement as they left him alone with his thoughts. He shook his head slightly at the fact that Elijah was standing against him, but he knew that know that he was awake, he would claim his rightful place to the throne like they'd always been. He would rid this world of the hybrids and things would go back to better times where the Wiltshire's, ruled the world.

Being that he'd been bound asleep with Alek, Raphael knew that if he'd been awaken then so was she. He'd taken a couple of days to come up with a plan, but he could feel it in his bones that if he didn't make a move fast, she'd be there soon to stop him.

/

John couldn't say that he had been happy about the fact that Elena had decided to marry a vampire, but when Damon had called to buy him a ticket to fly him over while he asked for his blessing; kind of stirred him in the right direction. When he was told he was going to be a grandfather, he just about fainted, but after plenty of talking and tons of Elena's assurance that she was going to continue school and a normal human life, he had gotten a bit excited about it. Perhaps this would be a way to redeem himself as a parent to Jeremy and Elena, but more so, in front of his future grandchildren.

Walking in now, to glance at his daughter in some shade of white dress covering her rapidly growing bump, melted his heart like he never thought possible.

"Ready, Elena…" he called walking closer to the center of the room.

"I am…" she turned, swinging the veil over her face taking her father's arm as he began to lead her to the pathway of rose petals that ended where the love of her life awaited at the altar.

A sweet melody began to play and as John whispered compliments of her beauty and

sentiments of his fatherly love and pride; he guided her forward to meet the man of his life.

Dark russet colored eyes locked with an emotionally pulling and spine-tingling azure orbs. That with each step, made her heart skip a beat, her body slightly tremble, and her skin rise in temperature. The world always seemed a better place when she drowned in the deep ocean of his eyes and she could easily forget that they were still in danger. So for now… she'd let her emotions take over, letting her love for the arrogant vampire in front of her consume her to the depths of her soul, and let her heart swell in bliss knowing she was soon to be Mrs. Damon Salvatore.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Hey awesome peeps :) First, I want to apologize for the humongous delay on this chapter. I sincerely tried to write it but nothing good was coming out, honest. Now I seem to have gotten in to the flow of things, the muse is being cooperative, so the fingers seem to be flowing. I will try to not let it get this long, but I'm sure you'd rather wait for a good chapter, than a crappy one. Anyway, I REALLY love the way this came out, so I hope you will be too. I'm thinking I'm going to be wrapping this story up soon, we'll how everything goes.**_

_**Thank you for taking the time to read :) Please be the most awesomest of readers and let me know what you think ;)**_

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><p>Chapter 19<p>

Damon's body froze at the sound of the music change, his direction shifting so that he could spot her immediately, and then his unneeded breath caught. Small step by small step he gazed at her lovingly glide down the small aisle. Their friends and family members all gazing at her, but all he could see of his surroundings was the beautiful young woman making her way to him. She looked stunning, such a simple yet elegant dress flowing with her every step falling over her growing belly tenderly. Even through the veil over her face, he could see her tearing up sparkling eyes as they gazed and locked with his. The sweetest smile on her lips and Damon took a couple of steps forward to meet her as the old fashioned father asked.

"Who presents this young woman for marriage?"

"I do." John said rightfully, he himself tearing up at site before him as he laid Elena's hand into Damon's and he could practically feel the magic around the couple as their connection brought them together. He stepped away to join the others as Damon brought her closer to the romantically decorated altar and didn't notice anything else but the two of them standing there while the father began.

_Dearly beloved…_

Elena felt her insides flutter at the dazzling sight of the man to be her husband. She knew that they'd been through so much, but this moment right here with him, made life worth living. She could look forward to a future where she was to be his wife and mother of his children. It was everything she didn't know she needed and it was all she never thought she'd ever have. It was perfect.

Their eyes connected in that remarkable link that few people in the world ever discovered as he took both her hands in his. He had this look about his face that conveyed dreamlike wonder and he but looked innocent. Eyes shining bright with gathering tears as he let out an almost harsh breath from the overwhelming emotions mouthing to her _'I love you.'_

Her hands tightened on him from the sincerity of his never ending confession and she but trembled. Elena's eyes teared up as well as the electrical current that always filled her body for him ran through her. Her lips turned into a more amorous beam as she mouthed back, _'I love __**you**__!'_

In no time they were professing their vows to each other…

"_I, Damon Maximiliano Salvatore, take thee, Elena Miranda Gilbert, to be my beloved wife, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, treasure, and cherish; from this day forward, for all the days of my life."_

"_I, Elena Miranda Gilbert, take thee, Damon Maximiliano Salvatore, to be my beloved husband, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, treasure, and cherish; from this day forward, for all the days of my life."_

Damon was giving that mischievous little smirk that spoke of him knowing that he was going to have to explain the fact that he'd never mentioned he had a middle name as she playfully narrowed her eyes on him; she liked it, she thought momentarily, it was strong and gave the impression of power that Damon, without a doubt had.

Her thoughts were brought back to what was currently happening as Damon began to step closer and the father announced, "You may now kiss the bride…"

The realization, that Elena had just become his beloved wife hit Damon like freight train. Of course he knew that _that_ is what happened when one got married, but what he had not anticipated was the engulfing feeling of happiness that made his chest feel like it wanted to explode. He passed the soft veil over her to reveal her flawless face. Pulling her petite body towards him, his arms encircling her waist as hers settled on his shoulders and his mouth descended upon hers.

It was heaven.

/

Aleksandria could feel the presence of power near as she arrived into Italy. Raphael was obviously already there and sure to do some damage soon. She knew he hadn't because if that had been the case, then he would have already made his public presence known as part of the Royal Families. She placed a light scarf over her head to not attract attention going in search of any Rodoslavs left, who would be able to tell her, the current happenings of the supernatural since she'd woken up.

Alek stepped off a train to pick up the small luggage carrier she'd bought with a couple of outfits as she walked into a store to ask for directions. The small grocery store seemed empty and the older man at the counter smiled friendly, "Can I help you ma'am?"

"Yes" she started softly, "I'm looking for an old friend of mine, do you know if the Radoslav's still live in the area?"

"Why yes, sweet lady" he grabbed a piece of paper to write her directions and handed it over, "Tell Rosario I've missed her visits."

"I will do that" she said with a genuine smirk taking the paper and walking out. That was one of the things that she had always loved about Italy. People were so warm and friendly that it felt like the whole lot of them lived in a small town and not a huge city. Families usually stayed in the same area that their ancestors or family lived and generations within generations passed down family stories avidly. Aleksandria smiled when she noticed the location of the house where this Radoslav lived, it was the same old house that her best friend had lived in.

She stepped into the small garden entrance and knocked softly on the wooden door. She heard the creaking of wood as someone on the other side moved rather slowly to the entry way hearing it unlock. She stared at the older woman who had been surprised but then her features softened, "Aleksandria" Rosario said warmly.

"You're a Radoslav" she stated relieved, "Am I late?"

The older woman shook her head, "No" she stepped aside and added "You're just in time, please, come in."

Alek gave her a nod and stepped over the thresh hold.

_Flashback_

_Aleksandria had been in her private chamber staring at her reflection in the mirror as a slight bump was beginning to show the baby growing inside her. She ran her hands fondly over her stomach when she heard a door slam and a growl come near. She turned around scared to find it would be Raphael, but her eyes relaxed when she noticed it was Nealon._

_Neal was angry at what he'd heard and he needed to know the truth. He'd gotten drunk first probably not the best idea, but then he'd taken all the secret passage ways he knew to get to her. He'd slammed the door as a snarl ripped through his chest stalking over to Aleksandria growling, "Is it true Aleksandria!" He said taking her by the arms._

_"Is what true?" she couldn't understand his anger. Not only that but she could see under the facade of his rage was just actual hurt._

_"That you're with child?" He said just as passionately. His face ready for the worse news he could ever hear._

_Alek suddenly understood the magnitude of the situation of him being in __**her**__ chamber and ignoring his question trying to usher him out she said, "Nealon, you have to go. You have to leave. If Raphael finds out that you..."_

_"ANSWER ME!" Nealon yelled angrily. His eyes locked with hers pleading to put him out of his misery and just answer the damn question._

_"Yes" she grinned beside herself, "I am with child, now will you please just go."_

_Nealon crumbled to the ground shaking his head as hot tears streamed down his face whispering, "NO! This can't be. No."_

_Aleksandria couldn't take his sight then. She could not bear the clear suffering of the man she loved and so she sank down to cup his face while crying with him at seeing his despair and spoke, "You have to leave and hide" she pled. _

_Nealon shook his head, not really at all there at the moment._

_"You have to and you have to promise me you'll stay safe because I need you to be. 'WE' NEED you to be!"_

_Nealon was still shaking his head in reply, when her words registered in his brain, "WE?"_

_"WE beloved" she'd whispered kissing him like if her life depended on it until Nealon pulled her away gazing questioningly. She had taken his hand and placed it over her small bump repeating. "We. Yours. Ours."_

_Nealon had sighed, such a happy relief until the weight of her meaning seeped through his bones. He was going to be a FATHER. With that thought in mind he scooped her up into his arms; laid her on her bed tucking her in. He gave her an earth shattering kiss and murmured against her lips, "I will make sure you __**both**__ are safe, I promise."_

_Aleksandria had nodded in approval. Happy that at least he __**knew**__ that her baby was his. Had she known it'd be the last time she would see him, she would have kept him there just a little bit longer to tell him how much she loved him. Over and over again._

/

Raphael noticed the sky was at the beginnings of when the sun would set and he placed his very special stake inside the pocket of his coat. A very long time ago he had his mistress create this weapon that would kill just about any magical entity. The best part was that it was indestructible and that it would kill any hybrid. Ready for the attack, Raphael walked out into the living room to see his son's waiting for him to go. War was about to ensue and he couldn't wait because he knew he'd come up victorious. He never lost a battle and that wasn't going to start now.

So with a small nod of his head, the younger Originals walked out the door with their father following behind. Everyone knew what they needed to do and where they needed to be. He made a face of disgust; just the thought that out there in the world Nealon's grandson had been walking around filled him with repugnance. And on top of that he'd woken up because the Doppelganger had conceived. He was downright furious, but at least her mistake had triggered _his_ return to take his rightful place in the world, and take it he would.

The world would go back to the creatures ruling and he couldn't wait to get started. No one was going to be able to stop him now.

_Flashback_

_Raphael still remembered Nealon coming in search for him to strike a deal. He'd gone to plead with him to divorce his wife, something that Raphael would never allow. It was simple, she was his bethrowed and that's all that mattered. Unfortunately he loved her and even if she didn't feel the same way for him, he would NEVER give her up. So with that he had dismissed him. That same night he had ordered that all Harcourts be exterminated to the point that __**that**__ blood line would not survive._

_What Raphael didn't know was that Neal knew that the King would never bargain with him, and he'd already spoken to some friends that would ensure his beloved's safety. The Putnams and the Radoslvas were among those close friends._

/

Caroline had cleared the back area where there had been cement for a dance floor, leaving all the summery tables there for them to sit around, but not without a touch of flowery elegance that spoke of wedding. They had all cheered the official commitment and had been led to the small dance floor after congratulating them for their first dance song. Softly in the background, Just The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra began to play and Elena snaked her arms around Damon's neck.

He gazed lovingly at her, "You look so beautiful, you know that?"

"No I don't" she disagreed, "Ever since I found out I was pregnant with twins our kids seem to be growing like if they're on steroids."

Damon laughed, "Well there's two" he kissed her softly, "What did you expect?"

Elena rolled her eyes and he took the opportunity to spin her around bringing her back into his embrace. The melody romantic and making her heart want to burst with emotion she whispered on the verge of tears, "I love you Mr. Salvatore" Her eyes glowing with conviction and devotion.

"I love _you_ Mrs. Salvatore." And she couldn't help the humongous grin that took over her face at that; and so she pressed herself against his body. His hand coming up to cup her neck as she brought her lips to his. The kiss had been chaste but then his tongue had stared probing in her mouth and she felt her blood boil. She wanted him. She then got on her tippy toes to deepen the kiss, her slender fingers tangling in his hair as they both really tried to devour each other.

The cold of his wedding band against her cheek served as a shock back to reality and she stopped. Elena didn't really appreciate the untimely interruption, but the reminder of it being the proof of _him_ being hers made her grin.

Pulling back, her eyes locked with his that were a deep royal blue that spoke volumes of sensual promises as Elena's lust filled eyes turned practically mocha black from her own need.

The rest of their friends had then decided to join them on the dance floor and the moment was swiftly broken. But not before making sure that they kept that internal lust candle lit so they could surely make it blaze in the privacy of their room.

/

Inside the Salvatore Villa Court Yard, between the garden and the bushes, one of Raphael's sons was already in place. The suit of an Italian server, silk bow tie, and white linen handkerchief over his toned arm that he raised with a tray on his palm. On it, the most decadent of appetizers for the just married couple, Mr. & Mrs. Salvatore.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Can I just say WOW, this one took me even longer than the last one, but you'll be happy to know that we should be wrapping it up soon :P So Yey! I, from the bottom of my heart, apologize for how long this took, but considering what needed to happen, it was just not coming together. Now it has though and I'm excited to see what you guys think.**_

_**I love it, so I hope you do too. Thank you for sticking by me, my readers are the BEST and my reviewers are even more AWESOME! Without holding out too long, enjoy and please review!**_

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><p>Chapter 20<p>

Beautiful Italy night coming to an end, the gang all decided to put the tables together as the wait staff lighted the candle sticks surrounding them. They all gathered on the table eating the recently cut pieces of cake as they talked about everything and nothing. For the night, the group had adopted Damon's time out rule and had decided not to talk about anything supernatural. For the one day, they were all but a group of friends enjoying the intimate wedding of close friends.

In a way, everyone seemed to be in their own little world, Kate assessed. Nate was talking to his uncle Elijah with his hand loosely around her. Elijah never failed to be but an inch away from Katherine, holding her hand or touching her at all possible times. Tyler, Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy were seated right next to each other enjoying the company, secret gestures with each other of affection showing. Then John, Meredith, and Alaric sat in deep conversation, followed by a new blossoming love between Stefan and Natalia, who were next to the newly weds.

Kate noticed how Damon and Elena gazed at each other endearingly. As if they could see their whole world and everything they could ever desire in the other person. Elena would blush as she attempted to eat her cake and Damon leaned in to whisper into her ear stuff that had her cheeks flushing as she smiled almost secretly at him. Being vampires and all, she knew she could have listened in, but she'd turned that off for the moment to give them privacy.

It truly was an amazing night. The sky was peaceful, stars shining bright, and as the wicks of the candles burned giving off a familiar aroma; she sighed contently and leaned into Nate's embrace. It was truly one of the first days in forever that they were worrying about nothing and really just stopping for a moment to appreciate life and the people in it.

Kate feeling slightly too at ease made her all too suddenly tense. That aroma filling the air she knew she'd smelled it somewhere and she couldn't place it. Panicking for a moment she looked up to make sure Elena was still within view, to notice her gone.

Katalina swallowed thickly mustering up a smile, "Damon?" she called to get his attention, "Where'd the bride go...?" she attempted to tease lightly.

"Oh!" he grinned, "Ladies room, you know with her being pregnant and all..." he grinned winking at her as he continued to talk to Ric.

"Right..." she drawled out standing up. She just needed to use the bathroom, not big deal, she told herself.

"Where are you going?" Nate asked as he felt her lean in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and stand up.

Kate gave him her most reassuring smile as he held onto her by the arm, saying, "Ladies room..."

Nate's eyes narrowed as if almost sensing her distress from something and he was very reluctant to let her go, when she added, "I'll be two seconds away..." she stooped to capture his lips and he allowed her to walk off. Her attitude left him feeling uncomfortable though, so he could just hope that the feeling was wrong and he could just amount it to being paranoid over running for such a long time.

/

Kate was about to knock on the bathroom door where Elena seemed to be when something registered in her brain. That smell, it was from a very old particular flower that had the power to put the strongest supernatural entity to sleep. It was _so _ancient that only the Original families were aware of it. But...

She picked up her necklace from her chest to see the Ruby not shine, and as if imploring it to warn her, the Ruby shone and Katalina knew they were in trouble. She rushed in vampire speed outside to warn everyone and found three young looking vampires tying up her friends who seemed completely passed out except for Alaric, Meredith, John, and Jeremy who were human. She pushed herself forward to fight off the vampires but the moment she surged forward someone locked her in his arms and soon she was dosing off into slumber.

/

Elena happily stepped out of the bathroom to rejoin the group outside when the moment she stepped out into the patio, she found her friends, family, and husband were all tied up and apparently unconscious. Alaric and Meredith struggling to get free and tell her to run, John and Jeremy writhing just as worried. There was no one around though and when she moved forward four male vampires appeared. The oldest one she could recognize from the day she had those contractions and he was about to stop them. She'd been going in and out of it then, but she had spotted him briefly.

"Elena darling..." Raphael said sweetly, "I said we'd meet again, you are a Petrova, aren't you...?" he mocked, "Such beautiful women really, wish I had chosen one of your ancestors instead, but whats done is done." He spoke nonchalantly shrugging.

She said nothing, glaring at him trying to work out in her mind what she should do. She noticed her distance from where she stood to go inside the Villa was not far, but could still be blocked by vampires. Not that she would, it would be of no help if she was inside without being able to do anything to free her friends.

"Oh wait... I do believe we missed the ceremony didn't we...?" Raphael looked over to his sons grinning as they smiled back and came closer to the clearing, "Guess our invitation may have gotten lost in the mail, _Mrs. Salvatore_. Right?"

"Enough with the mind games, what do you want?" Elena enunciated each syllable, anger brewing, watching Ric, Mer, John, and Jeremy trying to struggle to get out of the cords, concern clearly written in their eyes.

"Right, to the point you want to get to, I see. True Petrova Blood in you, huh? Well let's get to it... I want your death and that of the despicable abomination you call a baby in your womb."

"Tough!" Elena spat as the mixture of tears and rage mixed insider her. What the hell had happened that had had all the damn vampires knocked out?

Raphael suddenly appeared about an inch away from Elena smiling so wickedly you didn't know whether to feel happy or scared. It was when he attempted to grab her by the arms and a shield protected her from being touched.

"What the...?" Raphael let out taken aback.

"Father..." his sons questioned just as surprised at what they saw.

"What is this?" the Original father growled.

Elena had closed her eyes knowing she was about to be struck, but when she heard Raphael and the sons call out in wonder, she'd opened her eyes to see the older vampire trying to touch her, shove her, push her, anything really, and nothing happened. Elena was as surprised as he was, but taking advantage of the fact that he couldn't seem to touch her, she ran towards Damon, seeing his lips quiver as if he was waking. The younger vampires had made seemed to hint at charging against her when a tender voice broke through them all.

"I'm disappointed in you all..." the feminine voice called, clearly directed at her offspring.

"Mother!" The sons exclaimed shocked, their expressions between relief and anger at her. She'd set out to make them all go into deep eternal sleep when she favored Niklaus over them, they felt love and hate towards their mother in equal measure.

"Aleksandria..." Raphael drawled out pleased.

Alek's eyes then laid on Raphael and she gave a short huff shaking her head, "When are you going to let this all go...?"

He then smiled sinisterly snarling, "Never!"

"Very well then..." Alek answered as her eyes turned a bright metallic purple, veins protruding under her eyes, as fangs dropped, she pulled out a pouch from inside her robe that she tossed at Elena in milliseconds yelling, "Blow out the dust on them!" and then she was charging against Wiltshire Senior.

Elena felt just a whoosh of air as apparently the elder looking woman went after the Original and the pouch that was suddenly in her hands. She opened it as fast as she could as she saw the Original Sons approach with death glares all over their faces, took hold of a fist of dust an blew as hard as she could into her hand to spread the dust.

How she knew she was on their side, she did not know, but there had been a feeling of familiarity and this intense gut feeling that told her that this was right.

They all became suddenly aware of what was happening and Bonnie quickly brought down the Originals Brothers she could see in mind numbing aneurysms as she focused her energy in getting them all untied as well. That eerie feeling she'd been feeling, all too suddenly overwhelming her in full force.

Elena had just finished undoing Damon's knots when he picked her up and flashed her inside the Villa.

"Stay _HERE_!" he yelled heading back outside to get everyone untied and to safety. They could hear the growling going on around them from Raphael and Aleksandria's fight, but they were moving so fast nobody could spot them. Nate, Kate, and Elijah had surged forward to go at the brothers as Katherine helped the humans out of the way. Stefan on Damon's heel to help out Alek after ensuring Natalia was inside with Elena.

"Damon!" Elena screamed when she heard him grunt in pain and hit the ground so hard the rocks broke beneath him. She tried to run back outside but John held her back as Ric and Mer blocked the door. She could tell they were angry because they felt helpless to do much against such a power. Jeremy had made for the door also, but when he tried to cross it, Bonnie had blocked him out.

"Remember he can handle himself Elena..." John whispered to her as Natalia took her hand with tears in her eyes, she too watching Stefan getting hurt as well, had her at breaking point.

Tyler and Caroline had quickly ran up to help Elijah and their hybrid friends. Bonnie in a half daze trying to stand as she blocked Jeremy from running towards her, while also trying to summon that white oak tree stake. The spell was rolling around in her head persistent and urgent, she had a feeling that the woman vampire fighting had something to do with it. So summoning as much power as she could, she repeated the spell out loud and the stake appeared in Aleksandria's hand, but not for long before Raphael knocked it out.

Bonnie fainted then, allowing Jeremy to run out into the line of fire. Alaric cursed and ran right after him as both Elena and Natalia yelled and John with Meredith's helped held them back. Damon picked up the stake then, Aleksandria holding Raphael captive for like a second when Damon shoved it into the Original's cold dead heart.

The world seemed to stop then as he went up into flames and they all watched. Aleksandria sighed as her deepened cuts and bruises disappeared. Giving a thankful look to Damon. She then glanced over Damon's shoulder to see her sons pinned up by Elijah, Nate, Kate, and Katherine.

Damon turned to glare, fire in his eyes, ready to finish them off as well picking up the stake left from the Original's ashes, but was held back.

He turned to glower at the woman, seeing her step forward to call out to his sons, "Do you want to follow in your father's footsteps..?"

The three looked mad and confused, not really knowing what it was that they wanted. All they had always known was the hatred that their father had input onto them.

"I have always loved you all, I never favored Niklaus, I just protected him more because of your father..." she felt the need to explain.

Their faces turned cold and unreadable and before anyone of them could do or say anything else. Nate, Kate, Elijah, and Katherine were being thrown and the Original Wiltshire brothers had vanished into thin air.

"Great!" Damon spat blood as he felt himself slowly heal. He spared a glance to Stefan to make sure he was okay and then back to see Elena running up to him. He caught her in an embrace pulling her close to his body wanting to scold her for running, but was just relieved that she was safe.

Nate and Elijah had within being thrown stood up quickly to catch their women before they even touched the floor. Yes, it was like a millimeter from hitting the ground but that was better than them getting hurt even if they could heal. The rest of the gang grateful that Aleksandria had shown up to help when she did all gathered with their respective partners as Alek herself held in her hand the white oak ash tree stake walking towards Elijah.

He stood poised and weary, as his mother approached him, because he hadn't seen her in centuries.

Alek caressed his face lovingly and placed the stake in his hand saying quietly, "I have loved you all so much..." she gave a faint smile glancing at Katherine, "I'm glad that you found happiness my son..." she met his eyes then, "and now I need you to help me find mine."

Elijah's brows furrowed in confusion, and then in panic when Alek placed her hand over Elijah's holding the stake to her heart.

"You can't possibly... be..." Everyone's eyes were bugging out of their sockets at what the Original mother was implying.

"I cared for Raphael before he turned into a monster..." she began explaining, "and oddly enough I will always love him for giving me you, your brothers and your sister," her eyes filled with emotion then, "but my heart was nerve your father's and all I want now is to be at peace." Alek wiped at her eyes before the tears streamed down her face, "Maybe I can join the man I love wherever he is in the afterlife."

Elijah shaked his head, he couldn't do this, he just couldn't do this- how could _HE_kill his own mother?

As if his mother knew what he was thinking, she told him, "Because I know you understand what it fees like to love someone so much their's no actual living without them."

"I can't..." Elijah muttered brokenly. He understood perfectly what his mother was saying, but he just couldn't be the one to do it.

"Please..." Alek tilted her head pleadingly, "Please son..."

Katherine tightened her hold on Elijah to show him support which ever way he decided noticing his gaze fall on Damon looking uncomfortable for his friend across the clearing. It was like they had some telepathic conversation which made Damon nod and sigh approaching hesitatingly. He let go of Elena and with one touch prompted her to stay back as he walked forward.

Everyone was frozen in place but the moment Damon moved they all felt as though this was too private and cleared out into the home.

Nate had stepped forward to hold on to her grandmother's hand and the touch sent a wave of recognition to Alek that had her grinning like a fool.

"You're beautiful..." she whispered happily caressing the young man's face. Everything was all too much and very emotional that soon the people left behind were all in tears.

Elijah held the stake against his mother's heart, Katherine holding his other next to him. Alek's hand covering Elijah's hand in place while holding Nate's hand with her other. Kate right by her husband. Damon stood behind the Original Mother, his hand on the center of her back as he locked eyes with Elijah momentarily about the way this was to happen. Elena nestled her face at Damon's back against his wishes, but welcomed the feeling of peace he always felt with her.

When Aleksandria smiled and nodded at Elijah that she was ready, he gave her a reluctant nod back and everyone tensed. Elijah pushed the stake forward and Damon pushed the elder woman against it.

There was a gasp on her behalf... a whispered _I Love You Both _and then... she was all ashes. She hadn't burst into fire, she had just very calmly, disappeared. Leaving three saddened couples standing around where a body use to be. A breeze had suddenly picked up taking the remaining ashes away and they all simultaneously hoped then that _that _was Nealon coming for his long lost love.


End file.
